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MHA Live at Home Schemes

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"This scheme is enabling my mother and those like her, to continue leading a full and independent life in her own home." A Relative, Live at Home Scheme member."

Friendship and support in your community
Each scheme has a local committee of volunteers, a part time manager and assistant manager and a dedicated team of volunteers local to their area responsible for supporting and befriending in the community.

Isle of Man Live At Home Schemes currently have 5 active schemes, with offices in each of the areas detailed below, and a head office and Island Manager in Douglas:

  • Western Live At Home Scheme; covers St John's, Peel, Glen Maye, Dalby, Kirk Michael, Ballaugh, Crosby, Glen Vine
  • Onchan Live At Home Scheme; covers Onchan and surrounding rural areas
  • Laxey & Lonan Live At Home Scheme; covers Laxey, Lonan, Glen Mona and surrounding rural areas
  • Northern Live At Home Scheme; covers Sulby, Jurby,St Jude's, Andreas, Bride, Ramsey, Maughold and surrounding areas
  • Douglas Live At Home Scheme; covers the whole of Douglas and surrounding rural areas

The above schemes currently support over 550 registered scheme members, through the
kindness and dedication of our registered volunteers.

Background to the Charity
What is Live At Home charity set up to do?

  • To enhance the quality of life of older people and help sustain them in their independent living.
  • To provide services for older people living in the community in innovative and creative ways relevant to meeting the local needs in the Isle of Man.
  • Maintain close links with the wider community, faith and non-faith groups, voluntary and statutory services.
  • Compliment and supplement existing services – and work alongside them.

The Services we provide
We offer a range of activities to suit the many different scheme members involved, they include:

  • One to one befriending (visiting an older person in their own home, 'having a cup of tea and a chat')
  • Social groups (lunch clubs, outings, coffee mornings/afternoons, men's groups)
  • Signposting service (guidance to agencies and resources involved in older adult care)
  • Advocacy (a friend to go to appointments with)
  • Assisted Shopping ('doing with rather than doing for')
  • Transport to essential visits (Doctors, Dentist etc.)

Live at Home is almost (with the exception of the managers) completely volunteer lead, and we simply would not be able to offer our services without the commitment, kindness and dedication of our wonderful volunteers.

The Generation Game
We also have an on-going initiative with four of the Islands High Schools, St Ninian's, Ramsey Grammar, Ballakermeen and QE2 where students from years 12 and 13 after completing a robust training process which includes, confidentiality, data protection, health and safety, boundaries, body language, first aid and vulnerable adult training, then go out into the community as Live at Home volunteers and visit an old member of the community. This has been a huge success and thoroughly enjoyed by both generations, the students are improving their communications skills, and our older members are enjoying sharing their wonderful life experiences and getting to know the younger generation.

New Developments
We have recently taken delivery of our second new minibus, which was built to our exact specification and takes into consideration the mobility needs of our members. Both the minibuses were purchased though the kindness and generosity of a number of donations and fundraising events. Having the buses will greatly enhance the services we provide particularly in the more rural communities in which we operate.

Most recently, we are proud and excited to announce, we are the organisation establishing the new Northern Men in Sheds Project which is based in Ramsey. The initiative has been an interesting proposition for Isle of Man Live at Home Schemes, when we were first asked to join a working group in March 2014 to explore the need and viability of this project within the Northern community. From then to now, the entire project has been an exciting journey, which with the most amazingly hard work from all those involved, not least the local steering committee. From an Isle of Man Live at Home Scheme position, whilst a slightly different service delivery, the mission is unchanged in that we will provide services with dignity, integrity, kindness and quality to those who require it, to alleviate social isolation and loneliness and to foster friendship and community engagement. Following on from this model's success, as an organisation, exploration of a similar service in the West and the East is a realistic option. We are honoured to be able to be involved in this wonderful initiative.

Live at Home a Preventative Service
As an organisation we have a sound understanding of the needs of the older and more vulnerable members of our society and seek to keep that knowledge and understanding up to date. All our services are outcomes based and developed in response to identified need, and in conjunction with our service users. Our services are designed to enable individuals to remain in their own homes with appropriate support for as long as it is safe for them to do so. Our service users are encouraged and supported in taking control of their own lives and assisted in overcoming barriers which may impede this. We create a community spirit and encourage the more able members of the community to support the more vulnerable through our structured organisation. The aims and objectives of Isle of Man Live at Home Schemes fully fit the wider Isle of Man Government social policy of encouraging and enabling older and vulnerable people to determine and control their own lives, to support them in attaining independence and less self reliance on statutory services, at the same time strengthening communities.

We are signatories to and work within the Carer's Charter. In carrying out assessments of need and how we respond to the needs of both carer and service users are taken into account. Where possible we aim to support both. Our volunteers go through an induction and training programme with us, which is designed to instill confidence and good communication skills it includes; confidentiality, data protection, health and safety, risk assessment, boundaries, reporting and safeguarding of vulnerable adults. Our volunteers receive ongoing support individually or in group situations and take part in annual 1:1 review. In 2013-14 we conducted an Island wide review of our volunteers through a questionnaire, there was a good response rate and the data collected has been helpful in identifying areas we can improve and enhance our support of volunteers going forward.

Finally......
Isle of Man Live at Home schemes, continually strive to expand our services, do better and learn more, we feel we are only now at the beginning, there is so much more to do, so much more we want to do as an organisation to support our Island older generation with respect, integrity, choice, dignity and kindness. With an increasing ageing population and the demand on statutory services, we feel we have a fundamental role to play and a second to none service to provide. It is with a great sense of pride that after sixteen years of operations, our many services are accessible and inclusive to all, our Islands older adults.

Get In Touch

District Administrator
Charlton Krentz

01624 625408
administrator@methodist.org.im

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