Age UK Solihull is the first point of call for any concerns or needs of older people. We can provide advice, information and refer on to support from our own services or from other local organisations, including Adult Social Care.
Phone number 0121 7047840 or email info@ageuksolihull.org.uk, during office hours
We’re also happy to talk to relatives, carers, friends or neighbours to give advice.
Our services include:
· Telephone Befriending – Volunteers are matched with an older person who lives alone to make calls once a week or more. We are supporting around 400 older people in this way.
· Volunteer Shoppers – Volunteers are matched with an older person to shop for once a week, and to deliver to the doorstep. We also have volunteers available for urgent shopping needs.
· Home Support Service – Staff members with PPE will provide services to people who need support within the home. This has traditionally been a paid-for service, although we now have some funding to provide this to people in need. This is for people unable to take shopping from the doorstep who need help with putting away shopping, preparing food, or other tasks.
· We can make referrals to food banks
· We can provide emergency food parcels in some urgent circumstances, eg for people discharged from hospital
· Winter Warmth Advice service – We provide advice on issues such as reducing energy bills, applying for Warm Home Discount, and we can provide emergency electric heaters and electric blankets to people in need, or if their heating has broken down. This service is available for people over 18 as well.
· For older people who have had a fall, we have a Postural Stability Exercise Programme. This is currently provided with telephone support over 20 weeks, with guidance on paper by post or on YouTube. This is free with a referral from a GP or physiotherapist.
· We are about to start a small pilot with volunteer Digital Champions supporting older people to learn to use a touchscreen tablet. Please contact us if someone needs this help.
- We may be able to help people to get to Covid vaccination appointments. If a vulnerable person would have to cancel their vaccination appointment due to not being able to get there they can contact us and we will try our best to help. We may have a volunteer or staff member who can give them a lift, if the vulnerable person can independently get in and out of a car. For those not able to do that there are other options we can explore.
· We are also the lead partner in the Solihull Community Advice Hubs delivering Universal Information, Advice and Support to all age groups over the age of 18. This includes: benefits, debt, direct payments, care and support, health and wellbeing. The Advice Hubs are the gateway to services in Solihull and we have over 700 referral partners. The Community Advice Hub number is 0121 7097590.
· As well as our own services, we have links into other voluntary and statutory services – if you don’t know where to go to find a service just give us a call.