Floating Support
Luminus Homes have developed a floating support service for vulnerable tenants in the district. The service provides generic housing-related support to people to enable Luminus Homes tenants to live independently in their own home. At present, only a small number of older people are supported through floating support, but this is expected to expand in the future. A Neighbourhood Warden in Ramsey was piloted and proved very successful. This village warden service, run by Age Concern, provides regular contact for older people who live independently in their own homes and are a reliable link with statutory services and emergency help. Warden schemes help and encourage older people to maintain and enhance their independence in a discreet manner; provide a consistent and responsive point of contact for older people; are a ‘watchful eye’ and can prevent crisis situations and accidents arising; and are a way of reducing social exclusion and isolation.
The service is available to older people who are ineligible for higher level social services’ support and is available to older people in all housing tenures, with the exception of sheltered housing. The service can be contacted on 01354 696650 or email them using the link on the right.
Community Alarms
Huntingdonshire's Community Alarm Scheme provides a way for such people to summon help in an emergency at home. For a small fee, the scheme supplies users two things:
* A small pendant you carry with you has a red button, which, when you press it, sends a signal to the telephone.
* A telephone which replaces your old one. It can receive the signal you send with the pendant from any where in the house or garden.
When users press your pendant’s red button, the telephone automatically calls the control centre where an operator is always waiting to alert the doctor and send for help as soon as your call comes in. The operator will see on his computer screen some brief medical notes, which have been supplied, and the names and addresses of friends or relatives. They will contact the nearest available one to come to your house with a key to deal with your problem and to let help in when it arrives.
Use the online form from the link on the right to apply for this offer. Priority is be given to those over 75 and to those who receive the benefits listed on the form, but applications for the scheme are welcomed from anyone.
Supporting People
Supporting People is a central government programme, that funds, reviews and improves housing-related support services in the County. This is done in partnership with The Council, Cambridgeshire County Council Social Care services, the NHS, Cambridgeshire Probation Service, as well as Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) users and their carers and the voluntary and private sectors.
Services that 'Supporting People' pay for are aimed at helping people live independently in their homes, and include things such as:
* Enabling people to undertake minor repairs and organise the servicing of their own equipment
* Life skills training, such as support to acquire domestic skills
* Helping people with social skills, such as motivational support and preventing loneliness and social isolation
* Assisting people with dealing with other people such as landlords, other tenants and a range of professionals
* Assisting people with personal budgeting
* Supporting people with neighbour disputes
* Support with moving to independent accommodation
Home Improvements and Adaptations
The council provides two types of assistance to enable people to repair or adapt their homes; Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs), and Repair Assistance (RAs).
A DFG can help you meet some or all of the cost of an aid or adaptation. If you have applied or are thinking of applying for a disabled facilities grant you should read the booklet linked on the right. It tells you about how the Council administers DFGs, it explains how the means testing system works and it also tells you about the role that you can play in getting the type of facility that is right for you. Council also has a Repairs Assistance (RA) scheme to assist private property owners on low incomes to repair their homes. Under this scheme, repairs are financed by interest-free loans secured on the value of the property. Loans are repaid when the property is sold.
Please use the link on the right to view our questions and answers on DFG's and RAs, and, after that, if you think we can help or you want to know more, give the Home Improvement Agency a call on 01480-388238.
WarmFront
WarmFront is a government-funded initiative for England and Wales that provides homeowners or private tenants a package of home insulation and heating improvements up to the value of £1,500 to suit the needs of a qualifying household (generally those on benefits or allowances). As well as the measures provided by the Warm Front Team, if you’re over 60, the Warm Front Plus grant may also offer gas and electric central heating systems up to the value of £2,500. This service is can be contacted on Energy Efficiency Advice Line - 0500 20 10 00
Crime prevention – bogus callers
Distraction burglary by “bogus callers” is a crime mainly carried out against elderly people who live alone. Residents are tricked into believing a person calling at their home has a genuine reason to call. Residents will often try to help or to oblige the caller, and then later find that cash, pension books, or valuable and sentimental items have been stolen. Frequently these callers will claim to be from one of the public utilities – often “The council”, “the gas board”, “the electricity board”, or “the water company”, for example. They will claim that there is a fault, that they need access to the home to investigate or fix. Sometimes they will claim that they want a glass of water, that their car has broken down nearby. Whatever they say, they have one motive in mind: to trick their victim into allowing then inside so they can steal their purse, wallet or other items.
There are some simple, but highly effective, ways of protecting yourself against becoming a victim of a bogus caller:
* Find out who the caller is, by asking, using a spyhole or looking through a house window
* Put the door chain on, if you have one, before opening the door and ensure the back door is locked - conmen sometimes work in pairs, with one distracting your attention at the front door while another gets in via the back
* Ask the caller for proof of identification. Take it and read it. Genuine callers from the utilities - gas, water, electricity - and the council will ALWAYS carry identification cards with them
* If appropriate, ask the caller to quote your account number - keep it handy!
* If still in any doubt, ring the company or agency which the person claims to represent - don't rely on a telephone number the caller may give you – ring directory enquiries for their main switchboard
* If still in doubt, shut the door firmly and ring 999.
Anyone who is a genuine caller will be quite happy to wait while their identity is confirmed. It is much better to leave someone on the doorstep for ten minutes than to open your home up to conmen. For further information and advice, ring your local police station and ask for the crime reduction unit, or contact the relevant utilities who will be happy to provide advice