ADULT SERVICES

Adult Services Our Impact:

3.1 million

Hours of care provided 2,340

Hours of mental health outreach support provided 416

Classes delivered at our Broomhill Activity Centre

365

Adults directly supported residentially 150+

Members of our later years in life activity centres

50

People supported through our mental health Reconnect group 21

People supported at our new VSA Care at Home Service

Learning Disability Services

Last year VSA supported 18 adults who live with a range of moderate learning difficulties at our Craigton Grove assisted living community for adults living with a range of learning difficulties.

Our assisted living community for adults with learning difficulties, enables people to maintain their own tenancies with support from our specialist support workers.

Over the year our team helped adults living with a learning difficulty develop a range of skills which included cooking, cleaning and maintaining the property; managing finances/banking; attending health appointments; support to do food shopping; accessing community resources (library, attending church and social activities etc.); and support to maintain relationships with family members.

Barry, Stuart and Lesley’s Trip to Blackpool!

Last year two members of staff from our Learning Disability Support team supported Barry, Stuart and Lesley on holiday to Blackpool.

The guys had a brilliant time and spent five days in Blackpool on holiday and did a range of activities. One highlight was afternoon tea in the ballroom.

Stuart said “I had a brilliant time in Blackpool with my friends from Craigton. My favourite part was afternoon tea in the Tower Ballroom. I am a big fan of Strictly Come Dancing and I enjoyed the dancing in the ballroom where the Strictly final is held. It brought back many happy memories of dancing with my mum when I was younger. Without the help of VSA we wouldn’t have got to experience this holiday.”

Later Years in Life Services

Later in life some tasks can become more difficult to undertake without help and support; however, this does not mean that there is any reason as to why you should not maintain your independence. Over the year we supported 265 across our two assisted living communities and our two care homes for older people.

Delayed Discharge Project

VSA, working in collaboration with Aberdeen City’s Health & Social Care Partnership, launched a new pilot project in 2019 to provide special interim accommodation for people who are fit to leave hospital but who are not yet ready to go home permanently.

The scheme provides a range of supportive homely settings for hospital-leavers, with care and support on hand.

Evidence shows that the sooner someone leaves hospital when they are well, the better it is for them both physically and emotionally. Research has revealed that older adults who remain in bed for a significant period are five times more likely to go to a care home on their eventual discharge.

Efforts by VSA and the Partnership has already led to significant improvements in reducing delayed discharge numbers in Aberdeen.

In 2015, the city was the worst-performing area in Scotland – but it is now in the ‘top 10’ Scottish local authority areas.

Partnership Chief Officer Sandra Ross said: “These flats have in-house care teams, telecare, and full disability accessibility, allowing people leaving the hospital to avoid dependency, regain confidence and get ready for going home – while professionals take care of care support arrangements and any necessary adaptations needed at their home.

“This is a truly joint venture, with the Partnership providing the funding and the social work professional support, and VSA providing the premises and the care team to support people.”

Senior service manager with the Partnership, Kenny O’Brien, who heads the Delayed Discharge Team, added: “We’re delighted to be working with VSA to help support people leaving the hospital.

“By working jointly in this way, we help get people out of the hospital and into a homely setting – keeping them safe and healthy, and building their confidence before they go home.

“This is just one part of our wider plan to manage delayed discharges in Aberdeen and is going live just as everyone in the health and social care sector is getting ready for the inevitable demands of winter. This service will be a welcome addition to the resources we have available.”

Bob and Gordon’s Story

Bob moved into Ruthrieston House a little over a year ago with his beloved guide dog Gordon. Bob sadly suffered a stroke a few years ago, and because of this doesn’t have full mobility so Gordon is not only his companion and best friend but helps with daily tasks such as opening doors and moving the footrest on his wheelchair.

Gordon was our first ever dog at Ruthrieston House, so we had to make adjustments for his arrival, but we did everything we could to ensure that Gordon and Bob had everything they needed — and now they are truly part of the VSA family.

Bob said: “Gordon is now 6 and I have had him since he was 18 months, so for the past four years he has been by my side helping me. Gordon is truly a special dog that is loved by everyone here at Ruthriestion House, he is always getting petted and told how lovely he is. All the staff here have truly supported Gordon and me since moving in, and I can’t thank them enough for what they do for us.”

Mental Wellbeing Services

Mental Wellbeing support services remain a core strategic priority for VSA.

Over the year we supported people aged 16+ living with a range of mental wellbeing illnesses. We provided support to people across our specialist residential facilities and supported people in the community through our outreach services and peer support groups.

Many people living with a mental health illness often, from our experience, have an underlying addiction to drugs or alcohol. Our mental wellbeing team works with the person to empower them to take control of their lives and works to support them, without judgment, on their journey to recovery.

In addition, over the year we provided mental wellbeing awareness workshops and talks to a range of employers across the city providing information and guidance on how they can better support their employees’ wellbeing.

Reconnect Mental Wellbeing Peer Support Group

Reconnect offers a peer support service to individuals living with a mental health condition to connect with other people and helps the person to build confidence and get them active and engaged in life in the community.

Engagement is key, and although overseen by a VSA staff member, the focus is on the group and volunteers taking ownership of the service to ensure it remains meaningful.

The group meets five days a week to allow people to take part in a calendar of activities that they are encouraged to help design. Morning or afternoon sessions are available and each person also has the option of one-to-one sessions with a member of the VSA team should they feel this would be helpful.

For individuals who may find it difficult to join the group, additional support — such as individual sessions or bringing a friend or family member along — can also be arranged.

Last year 520 peer support sessions were delivered and the group supported 50 people.