Help at Home
The Help at Home service supports older people in maintaining their independence in their own home. Anyone over the age of sixty may be eligible for this scheme and its services.
Help at Home includes free services, and a charged practical help service. There are four elements to the scheme, as described below.
Practical help
This is available throughout Shropshire and is a chargeable service. We employ paid workers called Home Support Workers. They can carry out everyday tasks that an older person may find difficult to manage.
Following our referral, one of our co-ordinators makes a home assessment to decide how best we can help, and arranges a Home Support Worker. The same Home Support Worker calls each time, for two hours at a time. Further blocks of two hours can be booked
All Home Support Workers have a three day induction programme, enhanced crimminal records bureau check which includes a police check and two independent references.
Practical tasks include:
- Vacuuming and dusting
- Bathroom and kitchen cleaning
- Shopping and collecting prescriptions
- Laundry and ironing
- Gardening
- Cleaning inside windows
Practical help, or Help at Home Plus, costs £18 for a two hour session.
The scheme is ISO 9001:2008 accredited and supported by Shropshire Council.
Volunteer befriending
This service is free. We have a team of volunteers who can visit older people in their own homes and provide a friendly social visit. The volunteers are all Criminal Records Bureau checked, provide two references and are supported by a dedicated co-ordinator in the Age UK office.
To qualify for a befriender you must be living in the county of Shropshire, excluding Telford & Wrekin. Telford & Wrekin have a similar service called the Volunteer Visiting Scheme. You can find the details of this on the Befriending service page.
Befrienders help by:
- Having a chat
- Accompanying on walks and shopping trips
- Helping with small tasks
- Playing scrabble and cards
- Sharing experiences
- Helping with paperwork
- Collecting prescriptions
- Offering support and a listening ear
Telephone Buddy
This is a free service. Telephone buddy volunteers come into our officer at Mardol Gardens on a Monday morning to ring older people for a friendly weekly chat. Volunteers are all Criminal Records Bureau checked, provide two references and are supported by a dedicated co-ordinator in the Age UK office.
To qualify you must be living in the county of Shropshire excluding Telford & Wrekin. Telford and Wrekin have a Neighbourhood Contact Scheme, you will find details of this on the Befriending service page.
Volunteer support provides:
- A listening ear
- Confidential support
- Regular contact and conversation
- Information about other services
Benefits Check
This is a free service. This is available to people living in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin. Our officers can answer queries, provide benefit checks, and assist in the completion of claim forms. They can also support people at appeals and represent at tribunals.
Contact us using the details below to find out more about any of these services.