PPGs in Practice… · 2020. 3. 24. · Combating Loneliness & Isolation 21 HOW CAN YOUR PPG...

PPGs in Practice

COMBATTING

LONELINESS & ISOLATION

Live at Home

Community Support Project

Combatting Loneliness & Isolation PPGs in Practice, 9 October 2019

ABOUT MHA

• Award-winning charity providing care, accommodation and support services for older people

• One of the most well-respected care providers in the sector and amongst the largest charities in Britain

• Providing services to older people for over 75 years

Combating Loneliness & Isolation 2

To enable people to live later life well

• Respect every person, treating them with

dignity

• Nurture mind, body and spirit

• Inspire the best in each other

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OUR MISSION & VALUES

• Local Live at Home schemes for over 25 years

• Promoting independence and wellbeing

• 62 Live at Home schemes nationwide

• Full activity programme

• Support network

• Signposting and long-term befriending

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LIVE AT HOME

5 schemes in Leeds

• Horsforth, Farsley, Pudsey,

Rothwell, South Leeds

• Part of Leeds City Council’s

Neighbourhood Network

• Each scheme unique and

tailored

• Services shaped by members

• Common theme: older people

living healthily and happily in

their own homes Combating Loneliness & Isolation

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LIVE AT HOME IN LEEDS

CSP - New initiative in June 2018

• Initially across 3 Live at Home schemes – Horsforth,

Farsley & Pudsey

• Now extended to South Leeds

• Most vulnerable and socially isolated older people

• Social networks broken down

• Short-term Volunteer befriending in their home

• Confidence building

• Assist going out & reconnecting with their community

• Encourage joining a local Live at Home scheme

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COMMUNITY SUPPORT PROJECT

• Initially two part-time staff

• Helen Tankard – Project Manager

• Sue Oliver – Volunteer Coordinator

• Now 4 part-time staff

• Jane & Amy - Community Project Coordinators

• 24 Volunteers

• Ongoing Volunteer recruitment in all 4 areas

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CSP – OUR TEAM

• National Lottery funded

• Through Time To Shine and Leeds Older

People’s Forum

• Recent additional LCC funding

• Continuation beyond 2021 and across 4+

schemes

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COMMUNITY SUPPORT PROJECT

‘A voluntary, mutually beneficial and purposeful

relationship in which an individual gives time to

support another to enable them to make changes

in their life.’

The Mentoring and Befriending Foundation

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WHAT IS BEFRIENDING?

• ‘Bridge’

• First step to ongoing support & social network

• Reduces re-admission to hospital

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WHY SHORT-TERM BEFRIENDING?

• Caring, committed and

motivated people

• Over 18s to retired

• Emphasis on over 50s

• Male and female – more men

welcome!

• With 1 – 2 hours to spare

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WHO DO WE RECRUIT AS BEFRIENDERS?

• Robust and attentive recruitment process

• Formal Induction meeting and Induction pack

• Regular contact with CSP staff and Progress

Reports

• Relevant training and opportunities for personal

development

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HOW DO WE ENSURE THE QUALITY OF VOLUNTEERS?

• Empathy, listening, patience

• Confidentiality, reliability, positive attitude

• Respectful, non-judgemental

• Vigilance

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WHAT MAKES A GOOD BEFRIENDER?

• SkILS Reablement Team – Leeds Adult Social

Care

• (Skills for Independent Living Service)

• British Red Cross - in hospitals

• GP Practices and Community Health Centres

• Other services,

• Community Police; Fire Service etc

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REFERRAL PARTNERS

• Referral in & ‘warm’ handover to CSP Team

• Assessment visits

• Careful matching with Volunteer

• ‘Warm’ handover Volunteer and Befriendee

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INTRODUCTIONS

• Building trust

• Companionship and friendship

• Increasing confidence and independence

• Encouraging short trips out

• Support with walking, public transport

• Attending a Live at Home activity together

• Encouraging membership

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WHAT SUPPORT IS PROVIDED?

Jenny and Robert

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LIVING LATER LIFE WELL

• Wellbeing data collected by Time To Shine –

Evaluation Questionnaires

• Includes Volunteers over 50

• ‘Older’ Volunteers less likely to become socially isolated

themselves in later life

• Feeds into National Lottery research and

evaluations

• Informing social policy and improving wellbeing

locally in Leeds and nationally

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THE BIGGER PICTURE

• Small time commitment – big value

for Befriendees

• Contributing to important

research

• Helping to shape policy for a

better life for older people

• Improves wellbeing, self-confidence,

employability

• Satisfaction of giving back

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BENEFITS OF VOLUNTEERING FOR CSP

• Support for vulnerable patients

• Help to reduce appointments with GPs

• Holding a monthly informal Drop-In

• Coffee & chat

• Digital workshop – online shopping, Skype

• Puzzles, board games; table tennis?

• Other ideas?

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WORKING WITH YOUR GP PRACTICE and PPG

• Talk to local Neighbourhood Network

• Talk to patients

• Volunteer to host monthly Drop-Ins/Social events

• Signposting if aware of anyone needing a Befriender

• Join our growing team of amazing CSP Befrienders!

• Support CSP as an Ambassador

• Share our information and volunteer opportunities

• Introduce us to other networks

• Signposting if aware of anyone needing a Befriender

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HOW CAN YOUR PPG HELP?

• Volunteering –

LeedsVolunteering.Liveathome@mha.org.uk

• Referring in – LeedsCommunitySupport@mha.org.uk

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HOW TO CONTACT US