Age UK Cornwall | COVID-19 Update

An update from our Business Response Team - 17.03.20

This week we have been inundated with offers of help and are immensely grateful to local people who are getting ready to support neighbours, businesses who have offered assistance and our wonderful teams adapting to constant change. We are working with our Inclusion Matters voluntary sector partners, public and health service colleagues, local community groups and businesses to develop a coordinated approach and we have committed all our efforts into three essential service areas:  

• Community Helpline and Cornwall Link:

Our Helpline teams are experiencing high demand from individuals anxious and planning to self-isolate. This service is essential and will remain operational within current health and safety guidance. Our administration teams will provide back-up with our community coach teams providing one to one telephone support for individuals who need it.

There has been a huge increase in volunteer requests to help and we are directing potential volunteers to their local support group or to Volunteer Cornwall. We will connect people ringing for help to this local network of support or to our own community coaches or visiting teams – whatever is most appropriate.

By the end of the week, we will have launched the Covid-19 Support Space on the Cornwall Link https://cornwall-link.co.uk/

This will provide a place to log all local activities set up to help local people and will also offer space for people to connect, to share experiences or to ask for help.

• Inclusion Teams and Home Support - 2 tiers of practical help:

Our day centres have closed today and by next Monday we will have adapted to provide a visiting and inclusion service. There are two tiers of support we will offer.

Tier 1 – Inclusion Teams  

This will be focussed around the locations of our day centres; teams are coming together to provide vulnerable people in the area with support. Where possible, this will include a daily call or visit, meals/food and shopping. Individuals needing help outside of our day centre locations will be supported to access one of the many local response groups or one of Volunteer Cornwall’s Flu-Buddies.  

Tier 2 - Home Support Teams

We will continue to offer food preparation, shopping and cleaning for our clients within guidelines and for as long as we are able. Our gardening service will continue as normal with limited personal contact. 

• Transport Services:

Many of our volunteer drivers are unable to continue with us and are self-isolating. We are focussing our existing services on urgent transport needs, oncology and renal appointments. This service is essential and will remain fully operational. All vehicles are disinfected after every journey.

We are making our accessible minibuses and electric vehicles together with experienced drivers available to support people home from the hospital. We are also planning to develop networks of our own local volunteers to help with shopping, so that people returning from hospital or recovering from illness at home have the practical support they need.

Please stay safe, be kind to others and watch out for further updates here.