- Date: 23/04/2021
We’re taking a look back and celebrating the achievements of our North Staffordshire Welfare Checks, which helped dozens of vulnerable adults during the lockdowns.
The service, funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, was aimed at helping vulnerable people stay safe and well in their homes during the pandemic. The service provided support on a practical, financial, and emotional level - with referrals made to other organisations too. It also provided vital connections for people who were struggling with physical and mental health issues.
Since starting in October 2020, the team have been out to do 252 health and welfare appointments across Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stafford Borough and Staffordshire Moorlands. Of the 71 referrals during October to March, we supported 67 of the customers to stay safe in their own home.
For many vulnerable adults, like Doreen*, the Welfare Checks service provided potentially life saving intervention.
Doreen* was living on her own in a small caravan. On visiting her, we spotted dangerous fire hazards in her caravan. There were no working smoke or carbon monoxide detectors, saw she was struggling to read and complete various forms and needed some extra support. Revival arranged for the Fire Service to come and fit alarms, helped her complete forms and phoned various organisations on her behalf. We also arranged for her medications to be put into blister packs to make it easier for her to take her different medications and referred her to the Occupational Therapist for mobility aids. We also did a benefits check for her, and managed to get the amount increased.
Now this service has come to and end, customers like Doreen* haven’t just been left. For her, we’ve arranged for a befriending team to set her up with a volunteer and signposted to other services who can support her going forward. Doreen told the team the service was a “godsend” for her during the pandemic.
Bridget Blakeman worked as a Community Wellbeing Worker for the service: “I have enjoyed connecting and supporting people in the community who were struggling during the pandemic in a variety of different ways and seeing the difference the help made to the customers.
“The overall feedback from the customers was very positive. Some said they do not know where they’d be without us – some said they would not be here if it wasn’t for the service. In my view the service had a positive impact on the customers and in some cases a massive life changing impact.
“It was a privilege to work for the service and meet the customers.”
Alison Lawson, Home Support Team Leader at Revival, said: “This service has been vital for so many vulnerable customers whose lives were changed by the pandemic.
“I’d like to thank the staff who worked hard to support the customers day in and day out and to the National Lottery Community Fund for the funding to make this service possible”.