The NHS has launched their Volunteer Responders Check in and Chat service; phone calls that can provide a listening ear and a friendly chat for those who many have been recently discharged from hospital or are simply looking for some companionship.
If you, someone you know, or someone you care for would like support or have any questions about the Volunteer Responder programme please call 0808 196 3646 (8am to 8pm, 7 days a week).
You could get a grant from your council if you’re disabled and need to make changes to your home. For example if you are physically disabled, have a learning disability, have age-related needs, a cognitive impairment or a terminal illness, you’ll be able to make modifications to your home in order for you to live with more independence.
For more information, visit the website.
The Veterans’ Gateway service is the first point of contact for all Tri-Service veterans, and their families. Its expert content covers welfare areas: housing, employment, finances, living independently, mental wellbeing, families and communities, and physical health.
The Veterans’ Gateway offer is enabled by a consortium of Armed Forces charities, and organisations, including Royal British Legion, SSAFA, Combat Stress and Poppy Scotland. To ensure they offer support at all levels, Veteran’s Gate collaborate with key referral partners, Information organisations and Local support.
For support over the phone, call 0808 802 1212, text 81212 or visit their website.
Somerset Libraries provides a Home Library Service, available to anyone who is unable to visit their local library. This includes people who may be housebound, living in long term care, carers, or people who are vulnerable due to long term conditions or disabilities. The service is open to people of all ages.
Devon and Somerset Fire and Safety Rescue (DSFSR) offer two fire safety services to people who live in Devon and Somerset.
Their online home fire safety check takes around 15 minutes and is a convenient way to help you look at areas of your home and provides tailored fire safety advice. You can use the tool in your own time when it is convenient to you. The questions will give you areas to check and advice to follow. If necessary, it will also refer you for a full in-person home safety visit.
DSFSR also offer home safety visits for the most at-risk members of our community. They will come and visit your home on a convenient date to see what we can do together to make you safer.
During a home fire safety visit
DSFSR will arrange for one of our friendly Home Safety Technicians to visit you and have a conversation about fire safety in your home.
The visit usually takes around 45 minutes and covers:
They can provide British Sign Language and some foreign language translations during visits too. Please ask about this when booking.
Who they’re for
DSFSR offer free home safety visits to many other people – if you are not sure if you are eligible, please get in touch via the details below.
Whatever happens as we get older, we all want to remain independent and live life on our own terms. That’s why, as well as offering regular friendly contact and a strong campaigning voice, Independent Age can provide you and your family with clear, free and impartial advice on the issues that matter: care and support, money and benefits, health and mobility.
Later Life Training’s (LLT’s) booklets have been designed to be used by LLT qualified instructors with their clients to promote home exercise between group sessions as we know that regular exercise (at least 3 times a week) makes a difference to the speed of positive outcomes.
They are pleased to be able to offer free downloads of their own home exercise booklets. The text and illustrations are by two of the organisation’s most senior tutors, Sheena Gawler and Simon Hanna, edited by Dawn Skelton, and the overall design (v2) by Helen Skelton.
There is one booklet that you can download from the website – a home exercise booklet for those who attend Chair-Based Exercise (CBE) Leaders classes.
The full range of exercise booklets are now available to download on LLT’s brand new membership forums. To register for free, please email Louise on info@laterlifetraining.co.uk.
The Royal Voluntary Service’s goal is to inspire and enable people to give the gift of voluntary service to meet the needs of the day in their communities. They believe their volunteers’ service makes them, and Britain, healthier and happier.
RVS also work closely with the NHS, providing valuable support services that allow hardworking hospital staff time to focus on looking after the people in their care.
Working one-to-one, in groups and online, the service’s network of trained volunteers provide the time and skills that help people feel stronger, healthier and more able to cope with any challenges they may be facing.
Through social activities and groups, they create connections and friendships that help communities thrive and boost the wellbeing of the people involved.
If you need help getting out and about, dementia support or information on social activities, visit their website or get in touch using the details below.
The RVS phonelines are open Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm.
The Adult Social Care pages of the Somerset County Council (SCC) website includes information for people who are 18 or over who have care and support needs.
Information includes: care and support assessments, applying for a Blue Badge, paying for care and reporting an at-risk adult.
If you or someone in your property is disabled you may qualify for a Disabled Facilities Grant. This would help towards the cost of providing major adaptations and facilities that would help the person to live in their home. The applicant of the grant must be either the owner of the property or a tenant.
The landlord of the property may also apply and a tenant must have the permission of the landlord. There are conditions attached please ask on application. To apply contact Adult Social Care on the number below and ask for an Occupational Therapist Assessment or visit website for more information.
For the last 150 years, the British Red Cross have been putting kindness into action. When crisis strikes, they provide practical, local and emotional support for millions across the UK and the world.
They offer a crisis support line, which is free to call and open Monday – Friday, 10am – 5pm (with Wednesday’s hours extended to 10am – 8pm). They can also offer help with loneliness, support after a hospital stay and cost of living advice.
For more information, visit their website.
As a patient, relative or carer, sometimes you may need to turn to someone for help, advice and support. The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) is here to help when you need advice, have concerns or don’t know where to turn.
PALS’s aim is to help sort out any problems or concerns you may have when using health services, agree the best way forward to deal with a problem and get it resolved as quickly as possible. They do this by:
• Offering advice and support to patients, their families and carers
• Providing information on NHS services
• Listening and responding to concerns, suggestions or queries
• Talking to staff, management and other organisations on your behalf, where you do not want to raise the issue directly with the service concerned.
• Helping sort problems quickly on your behalf.
PALS will always ask for your permission before personal information is discussed with others.
Need to hire a wheelchair? The British Red Cross provides a UK wide wheelchair hire service. They offer comfortable, safe and reliable manual wheelchairs whether you’re looking for self-propelled, transit or bariatric (wider seating, higher weight capacity) wheelchairs.
The British Red Cross offer:
• Wheelchair hire for £20 a week; includes free wheelchair accessories
• Delivery and collection of your wheelchair for an additional £25.00 charge in most areas; it will come fully assembled for your convenience
• Flexible hire periods (minimum hire period 1 week) at locations UK wide
• 12-week mandatory servicing and steam-cleaning to guarantee safe operation, fully crash tested
• Replacement provided during servicing
• Professional servicing and cleanliness standards in line with NHS Control of Infection policies, guaranteeing removal of all viruses (including C-Difficile, E-Coli and Covid-19)
To hire a wheelchair, visit the website and search for your nearest hire location.
Connected living have over 50 years’ experience in delivering technology-enabled care to over 10,000 customers nationally to provide reassurance and independence every day by using wearable solutions.
If you’ve been discharged from hospital within the last 5 days, you can apply for Connected Living Return Home system.
Connected Living – Return Home is a monitored home alarm unit and pendant that at a press of a button will notify our monitoring centre when you need help.
The service is free for the first 4 weeks then £15.50* per month.
For more information about the service, visit their website or give them a call on 0333 400 8299. Their phone lines are open Monday – Friday 8am – 4.30pm.
The Social Care and Health pages of the Somerset County Council (SCC) give you links to contacts and resources across a range social care and health topics, including Adult Social Care, Children’s Social Care, Help to Live At Home and Carers.
Somerset British Red Cross provides transport home from hospital (Musgrove Park and Yeovil District) for residents of Somerset. We also provide assistance to people following a short stay in hospital which prevents unnecessary hospital admissions by providing extra support at home. The support offered by our staff and volunteers can smooth the process of settling back into a normal routine and enable people to regain their confidence and independence. The service includes: rebuilding confidence, collecting prescriptions, assistance with shopping, welfare calls and signposting. Referrals are accepted from GPs, hospitals, social workers and individuals. No domestic chores such as washing up carried out.
