Information given on a wide range of services and activities run by Age Concern Wirral which exist to respond to a whole spectrum of needs and interests for the residents of Wirral who are aged 50 and over.

The Chair welcomed Pat Lloyd from Age Concern, to give a presentation on the work of Age Concern.

Pat informed the forum that Age Concern was responsible for managing an information, advice and advocacy service for Wirral aimed at people aged 50+, and that Wirral now has a larger population of people aged 90+..

• The information and advice service is available on any subject, but the main areas are:
• Finances and maximising income (there is over £3.5m if unclaimed benefits). The biggest benefit is attendance allowance, people do not have to have someone at home caring for them to be eligible for this as it is available to people with a health problem that affects their personal care.
• Community Care, including grants, care home legislation, hospital discharges
• Housing

The Age Concern Headquarters is at Hamilton Square, Birkenhead and offers the following services:

• Home visits.
• Surgeries – these are held at GP surgeries and One Stop Shops.
• A day care service at the Devonshire Centre, Park Road North, Birkenhead – for older people with various forms of dementia and has an emphasis on activity. We are currently setting up early onset dementia support.
• Ten Luncheon clubs, with transport.
• Befriending service, this was set up a few months ago and there is already a waiting list for this.
• Bereavement Support – a project funded by NHS Wirral offering support and advice for bereaved people, this service has grown rapidly.
• Support for carers group.
• Active Age Centre, offering a variety of activities.
• Peace Project – this was funded two years ago from Comic Relief.
• Elder Abuse Project – we have a large white Superlamb-banana to highlight elder abuse which has caused good success in the reporting of this.
• Works in co-operation / partnership with the Older People’s Parliament.
• Bathing service – this was launched last year, for older people unable to bathe themselves
• Fair Trades Scheme – we have done a lot of work with Wirral Trading Standards on this, scheme which only allows firms registered on the scheme to be recommended.
• United Utilities Password Scheme – this allows us to sort out bills / problems for people.

The Chair thanked Pat for her presentation and the following questions / issues were raised:

1. Father Leon Ostaszewski – do you organise meals on wheels?

A. No, but we liaise with the organisation that deals with this.

2. Carole Thomas – what is attendance allowance?

A. It is a benefit for people who are not mobile or who have difficulty with personal care aged 65+ years

3. Chair – is the bathing service only available at Pensall House Centre?

A. it is available at two locations - Pensall House Centre, Pensby and Harvest Court Centre, Moreton.

Andrew Cooper added that NHS Wirral also offer a bathing service.

4. Councillor Salter – are the receipt of scam letters covered under elder abuse?

A. Yes, we would help deal with this. The Office of Fair Trading has a Scam Busters initiative to deal with this.

5. Dave Hanlon – Does Age Concern have any comments re: the state pension?

A. Nobody needs to live on the state pension, this changed about three years ago. I t is now Pension Credit and has to be claimed. There are campaigns to try and double / improve this.

6. Dave Hanlon – would like to see Age Concern as a regular panel member of the forum.

A. Chair – Stan Thompson is the older peoples’ representative on this already quite large forum, and Age Concern can feed back issues through Stan. Age Concern was invited along to the meeting as they gave a very interesting presentation at the Leasowe, Moreton and Saughall Massie area forum. Age Concern could be invited to give an update to the forum once a year.

Pat added that Age Concern is involved in Away Days with the Older Peoples’ Parliament.

7. Dave Hanlon – asked for contact details fro Age Concern.

A. Pat informed the forum that there was a guide to services available at the meeting which included contact details.