MEWN Cymru Health Project

A Snap Shot Report
For the period ending August 2009

MEWN Cymru Health Project

Independence and wellbeing – older people BME project - a snap shot report for the period ending August 2009

Why the project

The project aims to provide support services to elderly BME men and women living in the Cardiff area, to help them lead independent lives and to be able to access health and social care services.

BME older people like other older people in Wales have needs to be met but also, these needs or lack of it is compounded by various factors that need to be put into consideration when arranging care services. These include;

• Culture and attitudes
• Beliefs
• Language
• Religion
• Accessibility
• Availability of information on services available for older people
• And most importantly, what they themselves know to be their utmost needs.

It is also worth noting that not all BME older people face same barriers in accessing services as outlined above. The degree of needs varies from one group, individual to another, and their input on their care needs must be put into consideration.

In considering care services for older people, service providers need to remember that there are African and Afro-Caribbean older people who have lived in Cardiff for generations and they too have needs even though language is not an issue. The care needs of this group should not be ignored or overlooked on the premise that they understand the language and therefore in a position to seek out services on their own without help.

Older people in figures

• Research shows that the population of old people has been increasing steadily and over 60s increased by nearly a third
• 1 in 3 people over the age of 65 lives on their own; for people over 85 it is nearly 1 in 2
• 5 out of 10 people between the ages of 60 and 85, and 8 out of 10 people over 85 have a limiting long term illness, higher than in England
• People aged over 60 are more likely to use inpatient services; the over 70s are twice as likely to use them as the under 60s
• The number of people over the age of 50 treated in hospitals has risen by a third over the past ten years
• People aged over 75 are twice as likely to use social services day care and three times as likely to use home care or meals on wheels compared with people aged 65 to 75.

Health, social care and wellbeing strategy 2008-2011

The report outlines some of the needs of older people and highlights the need to provide appropriate and timely support to older people to stay independently in their own homes. The key elements being to ensure that their homes are safe, adaptable to suit their mobility needs, that they have information on heating grants, keeping warm during the winter, have access to flu jabs and access to health services. We should remember to look out at how the new changes in the NHS Trust will affect older vulnerable people. Service providers should be asking themselves whether this group has information on the changes and where to go for treatment or checkups. If some of the services like managing long term conditions are going to be decentralised and managed in the communities, measures should already be in place to publicise new service points and accessibility support.   

Current identified needs

1. appropriate health care-access to both primary and secondary care
2. availability of vegetarian meals on wheels
3. appropriate meals provided in hospitals and not left to starve
4. Well co-ordination of care services between primary care and secondary care and especially for people with diabetes and other long term conditions that need proper management at home. The needs of carers should be considered to ensure that they fully understand what they are expected to do in te4rms of medication and administering insulin and that their health is considered as well. Where help is needed, this should be provided accordingly.
5. social care support when leaving hospital and settling at home
6. social care support for people with disabilities and mobility difficulties
7. benefits for carers
8. housing benefits
9. immobility benefits
10. access to ‘accessible physical facilities’- swimming pools and leisure centres
11. help to make their own homes adaptable to their mobility needs
12. need for bereavement counselling in the communities
13. need for visits to the most vulnerable older members who live on their own

Anticipated work for the next 6 months

1. Deliver ‘looking after me’ training for six months for carers by the Expert Patient programme beginning November 2009
2. Working in collaboration with Diabetes UK to offer training to people living with diabetes under the ‘education programme’.
3. Working in collaboration with Arthritis UK volunteers to train volunteers
4. Working in collaboration with Breast Cancer Care and Breast Test Wales to train community volunteers on being breast aware
5. Working in collaboration with Stroke Association to train volunteers on being stroke aware.
6. We have started a monthly surgery with Cardiff council benefits and social care departments at the 22 Parade on Thursdays. Any older person or carer with any questions should contact MEWN office on the dates and time. The surgery is open to any BME carer or older persons.
7. We have also started surgeries with the Council-benefits and social care departments to run at the Grangetown Baptist church on Clive Street every other six weeks. Contact our office for dates and times.
8. Planned to deliver awareness sessions on diabetes, arthritis, breast cancer and bowel cancer, flu jabs, keeping warm during winter, keeping your houses warm-heating information, mental health, volunteer training, information on bereavement and respond to your questions.

Current work

We run health awareness sessions on Tuesdays with the carers group at Mackintosh place in Roath from 1:30pm; Wednesdays at the South Riverside communities first office on Brunnel street from 11:30am; Thursdays at 22 The Parade from 12:15 and Fridays at the Grangetown Baptist church on Clive street from 2:30pm. Another group meeting in Butetown once a month.

If you are interested in attending any sessions, please contact our office for dates and time as sessions do not run every week.

Note:

If you are a BME group that meets monthly and you would like us to run sessions in your community, please contact us and we shall arrange to come to you.

  Attention

We are always looking for volunteers from BME communities to help us in our work to reach out to the most vulnerable members in our communities. If you have spare time to give to this worthy cause, please contact us. Thank you.

Appreciation

To all the BME groups we work with; Cardiff Council benefits and social care services; Diabetes UK; Arthritis Association; Care and Repair Cardiff; Breast Cancer Care and Breast test Wales; Tenovus; NHS Trust EPP programme; Stroke Association and the many volunteers who help on a daily basis.

We are funded by the Cardiff Council

Contact details:

Nancy Lidubwi

Tel: 029 2046 4445