WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST MEMBER OF THE BRIO FAMILY, SADIE BIRCH WHO JOINED US IN JUNE AS OUR HEALTH & WELLBEING MANAGER.

Sadie brings with her a wealth of experience bolstered through various positions in the Health industry, as well as a personal passion to promote a healthy and happy life for all generations.

Here she shares her ambitions for her role here at Brio, some background on her early career, and why pioneering wellbeing is so important to her.

“We can significantly reduce the risk of disease and enhance longevity”

It’s wonderful to join the Brio community and to play a small part in supporting each and every resident in living a fulfilling and thriving life. It’s early days so I’ve not managed to meet everyone across the three locations yet, but my main message is to encourage anyone who wants to, to reach out to me and play an active role in creating our future programmes.

Wellbeing is a bit of an umbrella term that covers a lot and so can be a bit confusing. Basically, it’s a term that translates as the state of being healthy, happy, and comfortable in life - and isn’t that the positivity we all want?! That’s really my mission at Brio, to assist with practical advice covering everything from exercise, activities, connecting with people and helping our communities to feel their best - be that individually or together, the choice is yours.

This involves four key areas: physical, mental, social and financial. All of these pillars are interconnected, and a balance among them contributes to a happy life. My job will involve incorporating these elements into daily life at your Brio sites in the hope that it will aid a fulfilling and resilient life. I’m keen to hear from residents about what they would like to see more of and do my best to create a programme that is fun and inspiring should you wish to participate.

The importance of feeling well

There’s a lot of science that tells us that by engaging in activities that promote any part of these four areas, we can significantly reduce the risk of disease and enhance longevity. In simple terms, it’s a wonderful opportunity to inject some new life experiences into each day, covering anything from trips out to exercise classes, practical advice and expanding our relationships with the external community. It’s all about growing and embracing what life has to offer.

I appreciate this may feel like a lot to consider, but I promise it will be fun, engaging and absolutely optional! My aim is to do everything I can to add opportunities to learn and experience new things for anyone who wants them.

A career in Health

I always knew I wanted to work in this field and help people live their fullest life. After gaining my BSc qualification in Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Birmingham I have been lucky enough to work in a variety of environments to help boost my experience and really hone a skillset which is inclusive to all. That’s one reason I’m so excited to join the Brio community, it’s empowering for all of us to realise how small changes here and there can really aid our lives and those around us.

Previously I’ve worked in several schools and gyms to spread awareness of how living a healthy and connected life is integral to our longevity. Most recently I worked as a Health & Wellbeing Physiologist Team Leader at Nuffield Health. This included conducting health assessments for clients using a variety of tests and providing lifestyle coaching to enhance health and wellbeing with a focus on prevention of chronic health diseases.

Whilst working as a Health & Wellbeing Physiologist, I completed a Level 7 Advanced Diploma in Health & Wellbeing Physiology at Arden University to further cement my career, and to aid in assisting people in all areas.

I need you!

I’m incredibly keen to hear from our residents, who will all have their own wealth of knowledge and experience to draw from. I hugely value this input - I feel that together we can build an even more thriving community based on what people want to see more of.

If you have any ideas or thoughts you can share them directly with me or through the questionnaire you will have received - if you haven’t already done so. I’d like to say a big thank you to those who’ve already filled in their questionnaires and can’t wait to make the fun, healthy and creative suggestions happen! So far, we are looking at running exercise classes in person and virtually through a video link - and this is just the beginning.

I’m reaching out to people to bring new experiences into our communities as well as looking at more things we can do externally - all with your input and feedback so it is tailored around your wants and needs.

I’d like to extend a big thank you to everyone who has made me feel so welcome, and already so passionate about and open to experiencing new things. It’s all part of our mission to provide an enriching experience at Brio, anchored by the belief that it’s never too late to try something new!