January Network 2020
Care for the Elderly – Resources
Our January Network Meeting provided to be very informative and interesting.
Our first speaker was Bob Edwards Integrated Care Director who explained how the vision of integrating care became a reality with hubs around the borough staffed by nursing staff, social workers and other support staff. Referrals to the service can be made by contacting the First Contact Team by telephone 0208 708 5897 or email firstcontact@redbridge.gov.uk. or by completing an online contact form https://mylife.redbridge.gov.uk/form/contact_form/#!/
This is not for emergency situations but if you need help from social services or are worried about the welfare of someone else you can contact the team who can carry out a telephone assessment or follow up concerns about a person’s wefare.
Kerry Jones of Redbridge Lifeline spoke enthusiastically about this service which is available to all Redbridge residents. the only requirement is that a person has either two named keyholders who live within a 10 minute commute or have a keysafe fitted. Lifeline can arrange for a keysafe to be fitted at a cost of about £108. The service currently costs £4.73 a week but is free to those residents receiving some benefits. The service works hard to keep people at home for longer as they provide a 24 hour telephone assist service with customers being able to press their alarm at any time for help. The team will call an ambulance if appropriate but also have a mobile response service that operates during the day which can assist people up following a fall. The scheme would like to obtain funding to operate the mobile response service for longer hours.
Redbridge Lifeline can be contacted via telephone 0208 708 5897 or via email lifeline@redbridge.gov.uk.
A volunteer, Imran spoke about Redbridge Shopmobility which is based on the ground floor of Ilford Exchange Car Park. This provides wheelchairs and mobility scooters for shoppers to hire for the day. Residents can join the scheme for an annual membership of £10 pa and can then hire equipment at discounted price of only £2. Public hire is £5. Audience members were very sorry to hear that some equipment had been stolen in the past. The office is next to the disabled parking spaces and the drop off point for disability vehicles. Their phone number is 0208 478 6864 and website http://nfsuk.org/listings/ilford-redbridge-shopmobility/. Email address is http://’ilfordshopmobility@gmail.com’
The next speaker Andy Kavanagh was representing the Licensed Taxi Association. Andy he praised shopmobility greatly saying how he often brings disabled passengers to the Exchange and collects them a few hours later. His passengers all say what a great service shopmobility provides and how much they appreciate it. Andy explained about the London Taxicard Scheme which offers subsidised travel, within the M25, to London residents with serious mobility impairments or are severly sight impaired for social trips. London Taxicard Scheme Email taxicard@londoncouncils.gov.uk Telephone 0207934 9791 (option 2) www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/services.Taxicard
There is also the Redbridge Mobility Card Scheme providing door to door transport for disabled Redbridge residents between 7 am and midnight see https://find.redbridge.gov.uk/kb5/redbridge/fsd/service.page?id=R4MnrHHEME0.
Rose Meredith of Redbridge Vision informed the audience about the Home Library Service which is a wonderful service involving volunteers delivering books to housebound residents. This scheme is dependant on volunteers being available so new volunteers are welcome – to find out more phone 0208 708 2031 or email library.information@visionrcl.org.uk