Age UK Cheshire – Going home from hospital?

GOING HOME FROM HOSPITAL?

Age UK Cheshire is here to help!

If you are aged 55 or over and living in the Cheshire area, then you can count on Age UK Cheshire to support you. We are working hard to run as many activities as possible in a covid-safe way, but some may have to be paused as we adapt to new guidance.

Information & Advice

Our Information and Advice telephone service offers free, confidential and impartial advice on a wide range of issues. If you think you may have difficulty coping with everyday tasks and need a bit of extra support, you may qualify for additional financial help. Our team will be able to provide expert advice and can help on other issues such as what to do about getting your house adapted to suit your needs, where to find a reliable tradesperson and who to speak to about your rights. Our free Information & Advice telephone service is available on 01244 401500. Our Digital Skills service supports people to get online for the first time, taking as much time as is necessary and providing help to overcome any barriers that are stopping you from getting online. For more information on our free Digital Skills help, please contact us on 0845 618 2858.

Making the right choices

Age UK Cheshire offers an Independent Living Service, where an Adviser can look at what care, support, activities and services are in your local area to suit your needs and budget. Advisers can work with you and your family in planning and organising all aspects of care and support. They can help you to make informed living choices to stay as independent as possible and will support you through the whole process. They will make contact with Social Services (if necessary) and research and negotiate costs as well as set up a support plan – ensuring that you and your family are happy and in control at every stage. If you require advice and support in relation to maintaining your independence at home, then you can contact our Supporting You team. They can put you in touch with local services that will be able to help you maintain your independence as well as determine whether you might be eligible to claim benefits. For more information on our Independent Living Service, please contact us on 03333 660 107 (in Cheshire West and

Chester only) or for our Supporting You Service, please contact us on 0151 348 8113.

Keeping healthy and active

Exercise is incredibly important to our overall health. It can reduce the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, some types of cancer, strokes and Type 2 diabetes. Exercise can also help to keep bones strong and assist in reducing the risk of osteoporosis. Recent studies have shown that exercise may improve memory, slow down mental decline, aid sleep and improve strength and balance. We can signpost people to many independent activity groups across the county. Our Falls Prevention Service works to reduce the number of people who need to attend the Accident & Emergency Department because they have fallen in their homes. By carrying telephone assessments, home visits to individuals, and talks to groups, we are able to highlight possible hazardous areas within the home and in turn make minor alterations where necessary. For more information on the Falls

Prevention

Service, please contact us in 01606 884446 or 0151 348 5495/6.

Social groups

Loneliness and isolation are major factors in the deterioration of health and wellbeing. Age UK Cheshire aims to relieve this by promoting independence and helping people join activities in their local community. Our Day Activity Groups provide a valuable service to many older people in Cheshire. Located in Northwich, Ellesmere Port and Chester, the groups provide companionship and fun and aim to reduce social isolation. The groups run on: • (Northwich) Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Contact 07917 638810 • (Ellesmere Port) Wednesdays and Fridays. Contact 07917 638822 • (Chester) Tuesdays and Thursdays. Contact 07917 638821 We also run Pub

Lunch Groups

on a Monday in and around Northwich, on a Wednesday in and around Winsford and on a Friday around Winnington and Castle. Our Lunch Club runs on a Tuesday at Little Neston Methodist Church, and is for older people who simply want to meet up, on a weekly basis, with friends for a natter and a home cooked lunch. Contact 01606 720431 or email amy. jones@ageukcheshire.org.uk Monthly Coach Trips depart from Middlewich, Winsford, Hartford and Northwich. For full details of our upcoming coach trips, please visit our website at www.ageukcheshire.org.uk Men in Sheds provides a focus on socialising, sharing skills and learning new ones. We have 3 sheds; in Ellesmere Port, Crewe and Winsford. We always welcome new members to join us for camaraderie and to learn new skills or reviving old ones. For more information on Men in Sheds, please contact us on 01606 884924. It is often said that time is the greatest gift that you can give. Sharing Time is a telephone and face-to-face befriending service which operates across Cheshire. The service is suitable for people aged 50+ who feel that they would like regular companionship through a weekly visit, and people who would like to volunteer their time to make a new friend. For more information, please contact us on 01606 884920 / 07590 861 403. For general information please contact us on 01606 881660 or visit our website.