INFORMATION AND CONSULTATION DAY
for Older people and Carers

WORKSHOP 3

12 participants

Title: “What services would make your life better or less stressful?”

SUGGESTIONS

Activities
This was not about special activities for the client group but about availability and cost of activities available
Affordable massage - run a course for carers
Affordable swimming e.g. Rapids, Andover
Hydrotherapy
'Keep fit', including for less mobile people, people in wheel chairs etc.
Yoga

Children
Need Young Carers Support in the area to work in conjunction with Andover
Support for Young Carers should be encouraged in Schools
Services for children with disabilities should be investigated and encouraged
Need services in the locality to support parents of adults with disabilities

Hospital Admissions
"Relative replacement" if going into hospital - confidante, trusted person, advocate, helper
Hospitals shouldn't assume that there is someone to do it – some people are alone
Friends of Hospital – anyone available to adopt hospital inpatients who are alone?
Could Volunteer Organiser at SUHT find volunteers to do this?
WAIF – welfare and information forum – what does it do?
What Benefits and how do they work when in hospital?

Information
Network for contacts, information – not everyone has access to a database
A4 sheet of information each year to people living alone could be circulated with council tax form - information drop to people's homes with "basic" details. (Every year councils check to see who are living on their own) – send out basic information, key telephone numbers etc
Making information re services easily accessible e.g. shops (national "chains" reluctant)
One stop contact point or telephone number

Support in the home
Moving furniture pre decorating (one or two decorators will do so)
Gardening
Occasional housework – e.g. spring cleaning, major clean two or three times per year when furniture needs moving/cleaning behind, walls washing etc
Shopping with someone – would like to go shopping with help not just have someone do the shopping
Chauffeur! – Transport is major concern, cannot drive – lack of low cost easily accessible, individual transport

Respite from caring for self and others
Flexible - days, weekends, hours, special occasions – adventurous and inventive rather than traditional building based.
Normal e.g. hotel with support rather than Residential Home
Together sometimes rather than separate, but with appropriate support
Sitting Service - excellent service available. Needs to be expanded and provide more sitters, flexible sitting hours, available for sudden and individual occasions.
Companion service - Some older people/carers felt a regular contact with a ‘companion' would be helpful. Someone they could call on in emergencies, talk to about concerns, advise and support them with problems, keep them in touch with others when they are in danger of being isolated, respond as friend to needs and help them to access further support and services.

Trades people
List of reliable trades people for small and large jobs (wonder if Chamber of Commerce could provide/maintain a list)