BEING stuck indoors doesn’t mean you can’t keep fit and build strength – this is the message from a Winchester nursing home.

Westacre, which provides residential and dementia care for up to 50 people, is reaching out to share some top tips in a bid to help older people in the community stay well during lockdown.

While most people are still able to exercise once a day, others in the highest risk groups have been told to stay at home to protect themselves.

Geoff Pride, a consultant at who often leads the armchair aerobics sessions for residents, said: "As we all forego our busy routines – including our usual exercise regimes - in order to keep ourselves and others safe, it is all too easy to slip into sedentary habits which will adversely impact our health in the long term.

"Many of our residents are not as mobile as they once were, so we’re already well practiced and finding ways to keep people mentally and physically active, even when they can’t get out and about.

“And as we’ve found, you definitely don’t need a trip to the gym or even a walk around a park to put your body through its paces – all you need is your armchair.

“With a few simple exercises, done according to your own strength and ability, you can elevate your heart rate and improve core and muscle strength, not to mention have a bit of fun. It’s great for cardiovascular health, core and muscle strength, balance, and of course self-confidence and mood."

Geoff’s tips for armchair aerobics are:

l Start by sitting up straight with your feet flat on the floor.

l Lift your arms out to your sides or in front of you and move in a circular motion.

l Lifting and lowering arms in front of you.

l Marching your feet on the floor.

l Alternating crossing your arms across your body – while marching your feet if you can manage it.

l Extending each leg in turn and tapping your heels up and down.

l If it’s not too strenuous, standing and sitting a few times.

To learn more visit the care home's website.