Providing Services for Older People

The main aim of the service provided is to enable older people to live as full and independent a life as possible within the community and to involve and assess the needs of carers.

If you are over 65 and your health has got worse, or you cannot get around easily and feel rather isolated but would prefer to stay in your own home, then a care manager or community care officer can visit to talk about your needs and the ways in which they can be met. There will be some situations where we will not be able to give you all the help you need and priority will be given to those in greatest need.

Assessment will often be very straightforward. (Carers can also ask for an assessment in their own right.) However, if you or your carer have complicated needs you may want to have a fuller assessment which, with your agreement, can include other people such as your doctor or district nurse. This is to ensure that you receive the best support to meet your and your carer’s needs.

We will respond immediately to a crisis. Otherwise we aim to start an initial assessment on other priority groups within 48hrs of the first contact with the Adult and Community Services Directorate. (This reflects the government requirements from December 2004.)

Less urgent cases will be assessed as soon as possible and you will be told if there is likely to be a delay before someone contacts you.

Following this assessment, the care manager may arrange for you to receive a combination of the community care services available.

These services include:

Home Care Services
Where help can be given with personal care tasks and carers can be given a break, to go out or have a nights rest.

Meals on Wheels
For people unable to cook for themselves.

Taking a Break
Services are available to give both older people and their carers a break.

Day Care Centres
At various venues around the Island help maintain independence and social contacts.

Occupational Therapists
Will give help and advice regarding any activity of daily living such as dressing, bathing, cooking, etc.

Specialist Advice and Equipment
For people with visual and hearing difficulties is available from: Sight Concern - Telephone: (01983) 522205 and Sound Advice - Telephone: (01983) 529533.

Residential Care
Is available both short and long term in private and voluntary homes or social services resource centres. Care managers will assess and advise on residential care placements.

Wightcare
Lifeline telephone scheme offering 24 hour emergency cover.

There will be a charge for all services set out overleaf. Your social services centre will give more detailed information on the charges for services. Some will be fixed costs such as meals on wheels, others will vary according to the ability to pay.

If you feel dissatisfied with the service you have received, then please either:
i) Talk to the person in Adult and Community Services Directorate who you normally deal with;
ii) Write or talk to the team manager or;
iii) Write to:

Adult Services Complaints & User Rights Floor 4 County Hall High Street Newport Isle of Wight PO30 1UD
Tel: (01983) 533289.

You may feel that you would like to have independent help and advice in either making your views known about what you need or in making a complaint. The person who would do this is called an Advocate and there is a service available for older people through:

Citizens Advice Bureau
Exchange House
St Cross Lane
Newport
Isle of Wight
Telephone: 0845 1202959

or through your care manager in your social services centre.

All information disclosed will be treated as confidential and is only passed on with the person’s agreement except in the following circumstances:

If one of these applies you will be informed that the information will be passed on to a third party for example to a general practitioner.

Information is stored on the Directorate’s central computer system and within paper files as part of our client record system. Only authorised staff have access to it. Anyone whose personal details are recorded can ask to see them.

Further information about services for adults can be obtained from the duty team.

The Adult Duty team covers the whole Island. The team provide information about services for adults for all new enquiries. If you, or someone you know, need help with personal care they may be entitled to an assessment of needs and services from Social Services. Similarly, carers who are struggling with the care of a vulnerable person are entitled to an assessment in their own right to look at options as to how they could best be supported.

Even where people do not meet the criteria for the Council’s services the Adult Duty team could well advise you on where best to access the help you need. This would include welfare benefits, help for carers, help regarding residential placements, befriending or domestic help.

The team is based at St Mary’s Hospital but has no facilities there to receive visitors. Instead, an appointment can be made by telephone on 01983 534227 to see one of the team’s duty officers at Newport Social Services Office, 147 High Street, Newport, PO30 1TP.

The postal address for the team is:

Adult Services Duty Team
St Mary’s Hospital
Parkhurst Road
Newport
Isle of Wight
PO30 5TG

Tel: 01983 534227
Email: SSDDutyAdminGroup@iow.nhs.uk

If you need help in an emergency and you are not able to wait until the next working day please contact Emergency Duty Service on tel: (01983) 821105.