Connecting people the key to community
By Tony Watts - Editor - 11/01/2011
One of the casualties of the ‘modern way of life’ is our social cohesion. In particular, millions of older people in this country have become disconnected from their local communities. Where once families all lived near to each other, and neighbours would always keep a weather eye open for each other, too many of us have now become focussed on our own lives.
But it needn’t be that way - and one pilot project in Bristol designed to break down the barriers between us has been proving just what can be done.
The LinkAge project has been supported and driven by one of the city’s oldest charities - the Anchor Society - and it’s a two-year project brought forward by the Department of Health working with Bristol City Council. Set up just 18 months ago it is already generating brilliant results which the present funders hope will inspire other groups around the country to follow their lead.
“We’ve been working hard for many years to support vulnerable, frail elderly people in the local community,” says Anchor’s Former President Bob Durie. “But here is only so much you can do as a relatively small charity – we only have so much ‘horse-power’! The Department of Health and Bristol Council’s ideas have enabled us to work together with other like-minded organisations - the local PCT as well as Guinness Care and Support and another charity, St Monica Trust. Their additional energy and expertise have enabled us to really upscale our ambitions dramatically.”
LinkAge has worked because it has brought together three key strands that affect quality of life in older life: health, housing and companionship.
Activities organised include:
• Creating a ‘loos and benches’ map to enable older and less mobile people to plan their outings and so not be confined to home
• Establishing a non-medical toe nail cutting and foot care service delivered by newly trained graduates from the local college
• Starting a men’s woodworking group that has grown organically to include a dog walking group... and a pub group!
• Beginning a befriending service
• Creating a ‘what’s on’ directory for older people and encouraging activities such as tea dances, singing groups, an acting and puppeteering group and many others.
The pilot has already proven so successful that it has now achieved funding for a further 18 months. But, as Bob Durie explains, “A very small amount of money goes a very long way. So much of the ‘cost’ is actually no cost at all, because volunteers have become involved in providing assistance and so many of the activities are being run by the very people we set out to help and have become self-funding.
“Where first we had to go out and encourage people to take part, local people are now coming to us with their ideas and suggestions. The ball is really rolling.”
If YOU are part of a group working to connect your community, and with an inspiring story to tell, contact the editor.