Hundreds of vulnerable people across West Suffolk will be able to receive support to carry on living in their own homes rather than having to go into hospital or care thanks to record funding.
Independent Living in Suffolk (ILS) has received £1.5 million for its work in West Suffolk from the Government’s Better Care Fund.
The money will be available as grants to help pay for adaptions to people’s homes in order to help them carry on living in their home. Adaptions can vary from a simple rail to more extensive works to provide access to facilities.
The Independent Living in Suffolk service was set up in December, with partner councils, after a previous contract came to an end. Enquiries are assessed by Suffolk County Council. West Suffolk Council then helps people with the application process to support residents to carry out the work required.
Despite launching the new service during the middle of the pandemic, West Suffolk Council has paid out more than £700,000 in grants and helped more than 100 people between December and the end of March this year. With many of the people that need help from this scheme likely to have been shielding until they were vaccinated, it is anticipated that there is likely to be high demand for works and funding in the coming months.
Cllr Sara Mildmay-White, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “People through illness or age, may become less mobile and more vulnerable and suddenly living in their own home can become a real challenge. The work of the Independent Living in Suffolk service can make a real difference to their lives. It means better health outcomes for the individual, it can help couples to remain together and, it can help people stay in their community close to their family and friends. It also reduces hospital and care admissions which has wider benefits for our society as a whole. This work is really important, and we look forward to helping more people over this year, supporting them so they can carry on living in their home.”
West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust’s integrated therapies manager Gylda Nunn said: “This is really good news for the people of west Suffolk. Assisting people to live well at home, with adaptions that support their needs, enables them to remain safe and retain their independence for longer. Providing the right equipment and adaptions that match an individual’s needs means we can take steps to reduce falls and other accidents taking place in the home, and therefore prevent hospital admissions and other health complications that may result.”
Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and MP for West Suffolk, said: “The work that Independent Living in Suffolk is doing and the difference that is being made to the lives of many vulnerable West Suffolk residents is incredibly important. Already, just in the first three months of the service being set up, over 100 people have been helped to remain in their own homes. Being able to continue to live in one’s own home, in their own community, amongst neighbours, friends and family is preferable to having to go into hospital or into a care home. The adaptations to homes that ILS is making will go a long way to maintain the sense of wellbeing of our most vulnerable residents.”
Anyone wishing to enquire about Independent Living in Suffolk should call 0800 121 7711 or email
For more information visit www.suffolk.gov.uk/care-and-support-for-adults/how-social-care-can-help/independent-living-suffolk
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