Help is at hand for county's elderly
Many older and vulnerable residents in Staffordshire are to benefit from a simple device which will give them a 'helping hand' in their daily lives.
Many older and vulnerable residents in Staffordshire are to benefit from a simple device which will give them a 'helping hand' in their daily lives.
Helping hand is a grabbing aid which allows users to pick up items without bending, stretching or over-exerting themselves. It plays a key role in the prevention of falls in the home.
And 300 helping hands will be making their way into the county's homes during the next few month thanks to a donation to Staffordshire's Joint Commissioning Unit – a partnership between Staffordshire County Council, South Staffordshire Primary Care Trust and NHS North Staffordshire.
Councillor Matthew Ellis, the council's cabinet member for adults and well-being, said: "Something as simple as the helping hand can make a big difference in people's lives, helping them to maintain their independence. It is great news that these have been donated free of charge for the benefit of Staffordshire residents."I recently launched a new vision for adult social care, Staffordshire Cares and a key part of this is working with our partners in health to focus on prevention.
Throughout the county we are seeing an ever-increasing range of gadgets, devices and technology which help people to retain their independence within their communities and local teams are exploring yet more new and innovative ways to achieve this. With an ageing population, we need to be thinking of the 'here and now' and how we can work with a range of partners to enable people to stay in their homes and have access to a range of services."
The devices have arrived in Staffordshire courtesy of the Helping Hand company which manufactures them and they will now be distributed throughout the county at the Alzheimer's Cafe, Approach and MASE (Monthly Alzheimer's Support evening) groups which support older and vulnerable people with dementia-related illnesses.
Andrew Wilson, director of the Helping Hand, said: "As a company which specialises in the design of top quality equipment for the elderly and less able, we are most impressed by the steps which Staffordshire County Council is taking to maintain and improve social care despite the forthcoming restrictions in funding that we are all hearing about.
"In particular Staffordshire's decision to invest in labour saving assistive technologies and their willingness to involve suppliers early in the design process should ensure that their less able clients should receive the modern well designed equipment that they need to live happily in their own homes."
Alzheimer's Cafes operate on a monthly basis in Tamworth, Stafford, Burton, Cannock, Codsall and Burntwood.
A MASE group runs at Haughton Village Hall,near Stafford.
