Gloves up at Woodford

At Woodford Manor, our Leisure and Lifestyle program is jam-packed all year round where residents can choose to get involved as little or as much as they like. Our Leisure and Lifestyle Coordinator Lee-ann, creates the program based on theme days, life events and preferences from residents. Lee-ann is also a qualified boxing trainer and her son is a professional boxer, so boxing has always been in her blood.

Lee-ann introduced the boxing program when she was appointed Physio Assistant and continued the program when she became the Leisure and Lifestyle Coordinator. The program has been running for the last four years. ‘I found that there are residents here who don’t want to come to any of my other lifestyle activities, but they’re at boxing every week,’ she says. ‘As a qualified boxing trainer, there are things I know to implement for the safety of our residents. For example, we don’t use boxing gloves as they’re too heavy for our residents, we use padded boxing wraps that support our hands and wrists and I perform a risk assessment with every resident who wants to box with the physiotherapist.’

For Woodford Manor Aged Care resident, Kay Hooper, boxing was completely new to her when she moved into the home in September 2020. ‘Like all residents, Kay was anxious when she moved into care, but I knew she wanted to try new things,’ Lee-ann says. ‘I remember I encouraged her to come along for a trial to one of the boxing classes, and since then, it’s been her favourite activity here and she never misses a session.’

Ahead of the Olympic games in Paris, Lee-ann has introduced a mimic of the Olympic games to the home’s lifestyle program, bringing much excitement to residents. The first major event will see Kay, also known as ‘Bad to the Bone Hooper’ take on Personal Care Assistant, Sharnie Wilson, also known as ‘Spit Fire Wilson’, in a blockbuster showdown later this month.

Sharnie’s twin brother, Liam Wilson, is a professional boxer currently working towards competing for the world championship and will be joining the home to present the winning medal. Lee-ann says that Sharnie and Kay train together every Monday and are getting very excited for the upcoming event.

Kay tells us that the boxing has been an incredible activity to be part of at the home. ‘It is the best thing that has ever happened to me, it has saved me,’ she says.

Kay ‘Bad to the Bone’ Hooper and Sharnie ‘Spit Fire’ Wilson will go head-to-head next Tuesday 30 July 2024 at 10.30 am. The showdown will be livestreamed to the Facebook page, so be sure to tune in and see who the champion boxer at Woodford Manor will be.

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