## **MID ULSTER AGEWELL** ## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT** The Trustees present the Annual Report together with the Financial Statements of the Charity for the period ended 31st March 2023 ## **Objectives and Activities** ## **Aims and Objectives** Mid Ulster Agewell provides 3 vital services to older and vulnerable people across the Mid Ulster District Council Area which are free and non means tested. Mid Ulster Agewell strives to provide the services to the older person to allow them to remain in their own homes as independently as possible for as long as possible. The Project aims to reduce the fear of crime, isolation and improve their mental and physical health. The Project is also a point of contact for families and carers of our older and vulnerable people in the form of signposting to other Services within our Community. The Project is a local Project working locally within our Community to address the local issues of our Older and Vulnerable people. ## **Public Benefit** The public benefit is that older and vulnerable people living in the Mid Ulster District Council Area can avail freely of all of the 3 services, the Good Morning Call, Home Maintenance Service and Community Engagement Worker. It is a wraparound Service aiming to reduce the fear of crime and level of crime. The older person’s isolation, their physical and mental health and wellbeing are monitored and where necessary support systems are put in place. The Good Morning Telephone Call provides a daily telephone call to our older and vulnerable people over the age of 50 by a team of trained Advisors and an excellent pool of volunteers who are very sympathetic to the needs of older people. Students from the local Colleges volunteer with the Good Morning Call which provides and encourages excellent intergenerational work. The call acts as a social chat and for a lot of our members this may be their only form of contact in the day. The call also acts as security. If there are any problems and concerns the Advisor will raise the alarm and if necessary refer to other Agencies or Services as required. The members will also be informed of any activities or events which are happening in their area. The Members are able to refer directly to our Home Maintenance Service and to our Community Engagement Worker. A further public benefit is that the Project supports the elderly by working in close partnership with all Organisations and Agencies who have a vested interest in helping older people to live longer and healthier lives in their own homes. Through our Community engagement Worker Agewell also provides programmes of social activities so that older and vulnerable people can benefit from a wide range of classes, talks, demonstrations and Workshops highlighting older peoples’ issues. The wider families of our members also benefit from the knowledge that their elderly family members are being contacted on a daily basis so that there is a fast response to critical issues and a quick solution to practical difficulties in a caring and sensitive way. Organisations such as the PSNI, Social Services, Crime Prevention Officers, Mid Ulster Council can refer Clients to the Agewell project. This process is simple and uncomplicated and can be carried out by a phone call, email, website or promotional leaflet. The benefits are measured by ongoing monitoring to our Funders incorporating the number of people registered with the Good Morning Call, the numbers who have received the Home Maintenance Service and the Clients and Organisations who have engaged with the Community Engagement Worker. Agewell also records the number of Volunteer hours attributed to the Project and acknowledgement of thanks in recognition to the hours given is carried out at a thanksgiving Reception. A Health and Wellbeing Plan is carried out on a 6 monthly basis with our Members to monitor the difference all our Services impacts on our Members. Agewell holds Community Panel meetings to measure our performance and assess if improvements or changes need to be made. This is also carried out by undertaking surveys amongst our members. There is no harm flowing from any of the activities of the Agewell Project. ## **What our Organisation does** Agewell provides 3 Services to older and vulnerable people living the Mid Ulster District Council area: **Good Morning Telephone Call** : Provides a daily telephone call to approximately 750 members providing social contact, reassurance, caring listening ear, signposting to other support services and advice on a range of issues including home safety, health and wellbeing, energy efficiency, fuel poverty and welfare rights. **Home Maintenance Service** : The Home Maintenance Workers have carried out approximately 1100 visits in this period undertaking the fitting of a keypad to facilitate a care package or early discharge from hospital. The Handymen will also carry out general maintenance duties which older people may not have anyone to do them for them. In association with the PSNI and the Crime Prevention Officers they will also carry out a security assessment of the home. These visits have been carried out under the guidelines and restrictions stipulated by the NI Executive. **Community Engagement Worker:** Our Community Engagement Worker will work with Community Organisations, Statutory and Voluntary Agencies, PSNI, NHSCT, SHSCT, Mid Ulster Volunteer Centre, Community Navigator, the local Rural Support Network and Mid Ulster District Council in the promotion of the Agewell Project to ensure we are reaching the most vulnerable members of our Community. We provide our Service equally amongst the three areas of our Council. ## **The Charity’s Classifications** : The Prevention of relief of poverty The advancement of health or the saving of lives The advancement of citizenship or Community Development The relief of those in need by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage ## **Who the Charity Helps** Carers Community Safety/Crime Prevention General Public Mental health Older people / vulnerable people Physical Disabilities Families ## **How the Charity Works** Advice/advocacy/information Counselling/support Disability Education/training Medical/health/sickness Volunteer Development Welfare/benevolent