Residents in Frome are being urged to give a few hours of their time to help provide companionship and practical help to isolated older people in the area.
Older people’s charity, Royal Voluntary Service needs Good Neighbours volunteers to offer caring, friendly support to older people, helping them to remain independent and engaged with their community.
Cosyfeet, the Somerset-based manufacturer of extra wide shoes, is involved with fundraising for the Good Neighbour scheme.
“Royal Voluntary Service now have approximately 80 volunteers in the Somerset area, providing support to about 100 vulnerable older people,” says Cosyfeet’s Adele Sapsead.
“There are currently 48 people on the waiting list though, so we’re doing all we can to get the message out there to those who might be able to help.”
Cosyfeet funding has enabled Royal Voluntary Service to provide life-changing support services to 49 new clients during the past year. Clients benefit from a one-to-one befriending service to help them access local community amenities and have home visits, as well as IT support and home maintenance.
Vulnerable older people are referred to the Good Neighbours Service by local GPs, who identify those most at risk of ending up in hospital within the next year. By acting first, Good Neighbours volunteers can alleviate the strain on local services and help keep older people safe, well and happy.
Good Neighbours volunteers will spend perhaps an hour a week, either in person or over the phone, in the company of an older person. Sometimes classes – from IT to tea dances to Tai Chi – are run as part of the scheme. Good Neighbours help counter social isolation and the service can act as a pre-emptive step to keep those who are vulnerable out of hospital.
Royal Voluntary Service supports over 100,000 older people each month to stay independent in their own homes for longer with tailor made solutions. Through its army of volunteers, the charity runs services such as Good Neighbours (companionship), Lunch Clubs and Books-on-Wheels that alleviate loneliness and help older people. Royal Voluntary Service also provides practical support for older people who have been in hospital through its On Ward Befriending and Home from Hospital services and via its network of retail shops and cafes.
To find out more about volunteering for the Good Neighbours Service in Somerset contact Sharon Donkin, Service Manager Sharon.dokin@royalvoluntaryservice.org or by visiting www.royalvolun taryservice.org.uk
