It has been a scary time for all. Whilst the media has been busy reporting all that we have lost, we want to report of some amazing stuff that happened during lock-down.
- We’ve already mentioned the 112 Homeward Bound referrals that we completed. We also did four complex declutters, where the person was unable to get home from hospital due to the condition in their homes.
- We had help from Suffolk Community Foundation to buy key safes and a rechargeable drill, they also gave us a grant for additional PPE and other unexpected COVID-19 related costs.
- Some of that money was needed to counter the huge price-jack of PPE supplies, especially gloves. Pre-COVID we paid £5.99 per box of 100 gloves, now it is between £15-20 for the same box.
- We also had the news that our carers grant application was successful. Our previous Breathing Space Project has helped 45 carers so far since it began in May 2019. So, we are delighted our work with carers can continue.
Breathing Space – How Does it Work?
If you are an adult caring for another adult, living in the same home, you can qualify for one day’s ‘free’ help from Lofty Heights CIC. We will carry out any practical tasks that you need doing within your home and garden.
What do we ask in return?
That you agree to being part of a follow up programme.
We will make a number of contacts with you, firstly to find out how you are and how your feeling.
After we have completed work for you, we find out what difference this has made. We then provide information and signposting that you might need, and finally seek your views about how we could improve or adapt our services that could make a difference to you and other carers. All with the intention of helping carers to continue in their caring roles, especially at this time when support groups and other forms of support are unavailable or restricted. We know that our type of practical work, everything from handyman jobs to declutters, have been gratefully received by carers in the past but can we do more? That is the question.
Finding ‘hidden’ and new ‘carers’
One of the unexpected outcomes of our Homeward Bound Service is that we find a huge number of carers. Some of them have been caring for many years, while others have had this incredibly daunting task thrust upon them suddenly. We are often the first person that they talk to in this new role. Often, they have to make huge changes to their home for a person with new needs, have no idea about who to ask for help, or even what help they need.
The parameters of our Breathing Space funding causes some difficulty with many groups we would like to help such as, ‘sandwich carers’. Adults sandwiched between caring for young children and older parents, young carers, under 18’s carrying out a caring role for a parent, and carers of disabled children and young adults. Talk to us if this affects you.
At Lofty Heights we are proud of many things including advocating and campaigning on behalf of family carers. Using opportunities when we speak to colleagues at Suffolk County Council, local authorities, and The Suffolk Community Foundation to raise awareness of issues that we come across regularly.
We want to enable these vulnerable groups to have a voice, you can help by
talking to us. What do you want? When do you want it? How will it make a difference? Tell us and we will try to make it happen.
