Self-Care and Independent Living

Self-Care and Independent Living

As part of modernising and updating the ways in which we all remain healthy into later life, the CCG is working hard to build new models and pathways of care which include easier ways for individuals to look after themselves and live independently for longer.

Feedback from patients and service users as well as documented evidence suggests that people value and respond well to the opportunity to take control over their own care, make decisions for themselves about their health and then follow those decisions through.

The same evidence tells us that people feel much better able to cope with conditions such as diabetes, asthma and Coronary Pulmonic Disorder (COPD) if they know more about their condition and that actually their health outcomes are better.

The CCG is also working to enable more people to live independently at home for longer, giving them better quality of life for as long as possible. We are increasing choice and flexibility in terms of support at home and are also investing in Extra Care Housing.

Community based activities such as luncheon clubs and walking clubs enable people to remain physically and socially active and we know that this helps to promote and maintain physical health. We are increasing the availability of community based support services such as gardening, help with shopping and transport by funding new and existing organisations offering these types of services. We are doing this through our Preventative Services Market Development Board and local people and organisations can contact our delivery partner CERT via http://www.certfoundation.co.uk/ if you would like to know where our current gaps in provision are.

The Building Choice & Releasing Community Capacity Programme (RCC) is an initiative funded by the CCG and the local council through the Health and Wellbeing Board. It is in essence a workstream designed at building and releasing the skills, energy and ideas that people have in our communities in a way that helps the community become stronger and more self-reliant while easing pressure on our health and social care services.

The Change Champion Course has been the most popular aspect of the RCC programme and has started to deliver new initiatives in the community such as time banking, befriending and new social clubs that tackle isolation.

For more information on how to become a change champion, please contact our delivery partner, Unique Improvements on: Linda: 07885 979 642 or to book a place on one of the courses e-mail debbie@uni.uk.net