Rapid support service helps elderly in their homes

A rapid response support service has launched in Ely, Cambridgeshire, which sees medical professionals visit the homes of the area’s elderly residents and provide care to people who struggle getting to hospital by themselves.

One resident said that it is because of the scheme that she can ‘continue living at home with her husband’ and, although home mobility aids such as stair lifts and accessible bathroom facilities help them with everyday life, they have previously struggled when they have fallen ill; this service, however, has put a stop to that.

The service - put on by the Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust - is set to last for a year and will act as a rapid response scheme for patients registered with Ely and Wisbech GP practices. It is hoped that the scheme will help prolong the independence of local residents.

A Local Chief Officer for the Wisbech and Isle of Ely Local Commissioning Group (LCG), Ross Collett said, “Most people in this situation are better cared for in their own homes,” and that, where residents are able to get around their home via specially adapted stair lifts, it can mean that they avoid having to visit hospital.

The scheme

The scheme works across a range of health sectors and includes the aid of nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, social care managers, a consultant geriatrician, pharmacists and healthcare assistants, among others, to ensure that residents are properly cared for. Mobility aids go a long way towards helping older people continue to live at home, where riser recliner chairs for the elderly can keep them comfortable and able to carry out daily tasks, but this service ensures that they don’t go without vital one-on-one care and can potentially avoid the need for an extended hospital stay.

It has been reported that one local resident was unable to walk after suffering an infected and swollen leg but, thanks to the service and mobility aids, she has been able to continue living at home with her husband.

Image Credit: Robert Kneschke (shutterstock.com)