Zoe Bulmer (Southwark Customer Resolution Manager); Neil White, Southwark Pensioners’ Centre, and others.
Minutes:
Dulwich Helpline
Barbara Scott, from the organisation, informed the meeting that they offered many services including 1-2-1 befriending, social groups and a gardening and handy person scheme. All these activities were staffed by volunteers and Barbara encouraged attendees to volunteer for one of the services. A new dementia project was also about to start. The organisation’s overarching aim was to combat isolation among older people. Barbara explained that Dulwich Helpline services were open to all older people who were in contact with the organisation, and that there was no charge for the handyperson scheme.
Southwark Council Services
Zoe Bulmer from Southwark’s Housing and Community Services, explained that the main focus of the council’s services was: keeping people active, healthy and in their own homes. This involved finding practical solutions that provide everyday support, and specific and higher level support for those who need this. Services spanned the following areas: housing, travel, social care, advice service and supporting the voluntary sector.
In terms of travel services which may be relevant to older people, the blue badge scheme, which was used by 1,666 residents in the community council area. 433 residents in the community council area used a disabled Freedom Pass, and taxi cards were used by 4,000 Southwark residents. Further services included Capital Call for taxi card holders which provide further travel services, the 60+ London Oyster card and wheels for well-being.
In terms of social care, over 4,800 residents and 1,350 carers were in receipt of services across the borough. In recent years the council had halved the price of meals on wheels. A new centre of excellence for people with dementia or complex needs was going to open in 2015. The council had also introduced a single contact number this year in response to resident feedback: Southwark Information, Advice and Access Service – open 8am to 8 pm, 7 days a week. The Creation trust worked with older people on the Aylesbury estate providing one-to-one support, assisted bidding, assisted viewings of properties, family intervention, mediating with other organizations, as well as help with packing and moving, assistance with changes in benefits and emotional support.
Council-run sheltered housing was available in the community council area, as well two extra-care housing blocks with care staff on site 24/7. Three additional extra-care blocks were in the planning phase, as were 50 extra care flats, with 24/7 support, planned as part of Aylesbury regeneration.
The council also had a programme of housing transfers to seaside and country homes which is for those in a council/housing association tenancy. The programme managed 3,200 properties along the southwest coast from Cornwall through the countryside from Shropshire to Cambridgeshire and over to Norfolk and Lincolnshire in the east. The council’s smart move programme was open to any council or housing association tenant where they are under-occupying by at least one bedroom. Participants in the scheme are included in band 1 straight away, and had support from a dedicated smart move officer, and might be eligible for financial incentives.
Help was also available with adaptations and home improvements’. The housing adaptations team undertook adaptations for disabled people to enable them to continue to live in their homes, while the council’s home improvement scheme offered a service to elderly and disabled homeowners and private tenants who want to repair or adapt their homes. The council’s SMART service installed equipment and monitors and responded to alerts from elderly and vulnerable people living in the community. It included pendant alarms and bed and chair sensors to alert to when someone has fallen; property exit sensors for people who are prone to wandering; and smoke, heat and carbon monoxide detectors.
Advice services were jointly provided by Southwark Council and the pension service worked to provide easy access to all benefits and services for people living in Southwark aged 60 or over. The team could help with: Pension Credit, Council Tax Benefit/reductions, Housing Benefit, attendance allowance, disabled badges, taxi card schemes, social services referrals.
Zoe went on to emphasise the importance of staying active, for example by means of groups like Silver Active, which ran chair-based exercise classes for older adults across Southwark. These took place at the London South Bank University Sports Centre, on Sundays from 1.45pm to 2.45pm, and required a £1 contribution. Silver Active sessions in Camberwell were free and ran from 12noon to 1.00pm at the Camberwell Business Centre, 99-103 Lomond Grove, SE5.
Responding to questions from the floor, Zoe explained that there was one number for Adult Social Care, that this number would provide information about both council-run and other sheltered housing. Eligibility for meals on wheels was assessed individually so people could just apply, or call the above number which would provide further information. The seaside and countryside homes scheme was available to Southwark residents over 60, who fulfilled some additional criteria.
Responding to further questions, Zoe explained that she would pass criticisms about certain numbers being engaged or not in service to the Head of Older People’s Services. Zoe also explained that staff at the council’s library were trained to help people in accessing the internet, and that the council had translation service for people who did not speak English. Zoe went on to explain that the council’s number was open from 8am to 8pm, and that she would feed back the suggestion of staffing it 24 hours to Ray Boyce, Head of Older People’s Services. The meeting also heard that the council’s SMART alarms were too large and so that it took too long to press them. Zoe said that she would feed this back. The meeting heard a suggestion that GP lists should be used to identify vulnerable adults, as these were likely to be more comprehensive. Zoe went on to explain that council services were reachable by email, telephone or by visiting a one-stop shop.
Note: A list containing useful contact information relating to services for older people is appended to this set of minutes.
Southwark People Care Association
Councillor Lorraine Lauder MBE informed the meeting that the charity was founded in the early 1970s by her parents. Their annual Christmas Day event was aimed at people who would normally spend Christmas on their on own. On Christmas Day over 400 people would be collected by bus and taken to Bacons College for the event which was for people of all ages. The event included lunch, entertainment and afternoon tea. Danny Waters, Chair of Southwark People Care Association, encouraged people to pass on information about this event to people who may want to join in or to volunteer. The hall was being set up on 23 December in order to be ready for the event itself on the 25 December.
Southwark Pensioners Centre
Neil White, the centre’s director, informed the meeting about the activities and services offered by it for people over 50. These included the pensioners’ forum, a visual impairment group, computer classes, supporting people to bid for council housing, help with changing or applying for council housing, assisted cycling at the velodrome, trips to the seaside, and a film club. He encouraged people to join the organisation.
Black Elderly Group
Aubyn Graham from the organisation informed the meeting that the group’s aim was combating the loneliness and isolation some elderly BME people experienced by providing a safe, warm and friendly place to meet others. Another aim of the organisation was to connect people with the community, services and new technology at their Elim House daycentre. Other services and activities included: care assessments and home visits, mini-bus to taxi centre users to and from centre, leisure activities, refreshments and luncheon, members and family celebrations, trips to the seaside, as well as one-to-one personal support. At present there were 35 older people using the centre, and 95% of day centre users were supported by social service personal budget financial contributions, which is why the centre could not function without its currently four volunteers. Aubyn Graham said that the group had lost council funding and called on the council to support voluntary sector groups like his.
A question was asked from the floor, why the council was withdrawing funding from groups like the Black Elderly Group. The chair responded that a written answer would be given at a future meeting, and reminded the meeting the council had lost £100m of central government funding over the last few years, which made cuts necessary. He was going to take advice on whether the community council could support local groups, over and above the funds it is responsible for. He reminded the meeting that groups may want to apply for Cleaner Green Safer funding
The chair went on to say that statistically 50 percent of residents in the community council area were over 55, and that of those, 30% relied on help from local or central government. He would, therefore, add a new standing item regarding older people to future community council agendas.
The chair thanked all the presenters for attending.