Meet Pete, who with support from our Exercise Physiologist, Georgia, has been strength training in Hunter Primary Care’s own onsite gym To-ròl since November 2023.
Pete has autism and mental health conditions that he manages daily. Pete began with the goal of formulating a routine of regular exercise, which included daily at home exercises with a tailored program to suit his living space, needs and goals of increasing muscle mass. Pete also trains twice weekly with Georgia for an hour in To-ròl.
"To-ròl is a safe inclusive space where I feel comfortable to try any exercise” says Pete.
Pete’s sessions with Georgia have focused on upper and lower body movements to reach Pete’s strength goals, as well as sleep hygiene education. Having initially reported having troubles with sleeping and waking late of a morning and sometimes the afternoon due to poor sleep patterns, Pete now now goes to bed at approximately 10-11pm as opposed to 1-2am and is waking around 8:30am most mornings with very restful sleep.
"I am excited to attend the gym every second day, it gives me something to look forward to” says Pete.
Throughout the twelve months of working together, Georgia has not only supported Pete to increase his confidence in the gym, but also to improve movement autonomy/coordination and allowance for different environments to be used for his exercise routine.
Through Georgia’s client-centered approach, Pete now also attends sessions with Georgia at Newcastle Ocean Baths in the summer to beat the heat and together they walk along the beach for a change of scenery. Pete has recently commenced a six week block of cardio training at the beach, where he has asked to implement more running and hill based sessions to increase his cardiovascular fitness. Pete reports he is really enjoying his sessions regularly and Georgia continues to tailor exercises and locations that suit Pete and his needs.