Innovation Exchange

What is the problem you are working to solve?

An elderly person’s decisions on independent living are often not carried out in isolation. It is frequently a family decision involving partner, siblings or children. Finding care and support for an older relative can be a long, drawn out process that is often conducted at a time of great anxiety and under time pressure. Often enquiries need to carried out by internet and phone as the relative may live in a different part of the country or need constant care. Although there are excellent national helplines and web sites which give comprehensive general information, investigating the specifics of what is available locally involves ringing round a number of local agencies, particularly if the support is to be funded privately.

How are you going to do it?

Opportunity Links is a not-for-profit organisation. Some of our own staff shared their own frustrating experiences of trying to access support for elderly relatives, and how similar their information and support needs were to that already provided by the company to parents looking for childcare, nursery and related information and advice. As a result of this we are comparing the information and advice needs of these two groups, mapping the similarities and differences, planning the helpline, associated provision and transition plan (including engaging with service users, other agencies and providers, accessing funding and adaptation of IT and toolkits). As we deliver the new service, we will evaluate the outcomes, document available models and share our experiences, with a view to enabling others to benefit from our learning.

Who will benefit?

Elderly people, their families and carers will have access to a local information and advice service. Other providers will benefit from the project evaluation and documentation. We are also planning to use the results of the project to raise public awareness of the issue.