Bullet Point 5 Flashcards
What are charity examples of voluntary providers?
Hourglass
Age NI
Engage with Age
Advice NI
Crossroads Care NI
Alzeimers Society
Age Well
Samaritans
What support do they provide?
Supported accommodations and floating support helping numerous older people each year- drop in sessions, advocacy services. Community support for people leaving hospital- prevent social isolation and help them reg integrate into society
Community support to improve confidence/self-esteem and life skills- e.g workshops
Day support schemes e.g drop in services to service users home- improve companionship and decrease loneliness
Supported housing- 24 hour staff/ non-staffed accommodation integrated in loc community- encourage social inclusion, outreach support from voluntary staff and life skill sessions e.g cooking, managing money, promote physical and emotional well-being
Advocacy services- to have an advocate speak on their behalf e.g making decisions regarding health- e.g rights in different situations and not being taken advantage of
Support services- elderly/physical disability providing physical accommodation and assistance with daily living/ domestic skills e.g shopping. There support e.g transport to GP, assistance completing medical forms, help to claim benefits entitlement- befriending service to help avoid isolation
strengths of voluntary services providing care
quite flexiable- less need to rigorously check if cliets are entitled to access services- e.g. no means testing so can help and support more older service users
quite responsive to needs- can set up and provide support for older service users in short space of time e.g. counselling for someone with depression, look at what person requires more/less with voulantary services
provide valuable oppourtunites for older service users to get support from statutory sector is unable to provide because of cost e.g. social outings, bowling, knitting classes
can provide 24hour emotional suport- vunerable people who may be feeling desperate perphaps have the recent bereavement of partner e.g. Samaritians
they often employ volunteers who have person experience of the range of isues affecting older serice users so are very sympathetic to the needs of older people, therefore give informed advice e.g. have older realtive for whom they care and support- can reduce stress and anxiety
can provide specialised information e.g. leaflets on their websites to develop an understanding of their condition and the treatment and support available
usually local providion, meaning easier access for many older service users therefore them getting the care they need in their own community e.g. intergrate them into communities and access to more services
can provide highly specialised care and support for specific conditions e.g. for dementia
older service users can enjoy services suh as holistc therapies which they might toherwise not be able to afford these are usually free or for a very nominal costs e.g. trips/actvities to improve emotional needs
weaknesses of voluntary servivces provdiing care
volunteers may not be trained or have only basic training, this is a problem when dealing with older people who have complex health problems- they may not pick up on key indicators of potential self harm/out of depth
may be unreliable because of funding difficulties, therefore availab; one month and not the next- lead service user let down e.g. same person my have to lead all week so can be hard to fit into schedule
lack of accuntability, as they are subject to less scruity than public sector services, this means it may not be properly managed so poor standards in one area compared to another
greater risk fo being abused as voluntary organisations are not as closley regulated
may not be able to meet needs of service user due to lack of facilities- service user could deteriorate further
some older people feel there is a stigma to using the voluntary scetor e.g. negative view on charity/ embarrased to need help from charity
