1. Westmeath Community Development Care & Repair
Anne Campbell, Care & Repair
January 25/01/2018
25/01/2018

2. What is Care & Repair ?
Care and Repair is a programme run nationally by Age Action.
The vision of the programme is to enable older and vulnerable people to remain in their own homes, in their own communities, living as independently as possible, through the improvement of their housing conditions and their level of comfort, security and well-being.
WCD are contracted by Age Action to deliver Care and Repair in Westmeath.
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3. What is Care & Repair?(cont)
Westmeath Care & Repair Programme is a project within WCD, supported by WCC, PPN, Cairdeas, Westmeath Volunteer Centre and Age Action Ireland.
It is targeted at people over 60.
It is a free service.
It is a service delivered by Volunteers, i.e. local people in local areas.
It is part of the Older Person’s action in SICAP.
It is an action in WCC Age Friendly Strategy.
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4. What does Care & Repair do?
There are 3 main elements to the service;
Repair Service - where we allocate volunteers to call out to the person’s home to carry out small DIY type jobs, eg gardening, house hold repairs, painting.
Home Visit Service - where we allocate volunteers to call out to the person’s home and spend one hour with the person each week.
Befriending Service – where we ring people at a set time daily, weekly, or fortnightly.
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5. Befriending Service
Be-friending Service commenced in March of 2015 to date we have 110 Older People we call on daily, weekly basis as requested by the Older Person.
We get referralls from An Garda, HSE Helplink South. Occupational Therapist. Meals on Wheels.
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6. How is Care and Repair operated?
Service is co-ordinated by Anne Campbell, with assistance from Carmel Grimes on Befriending.
The older person rings our office requesting assistance.
Anne records jobs and organises two volunteers to call and assess the job.
When jobs are complete we call both older person and the two volunteers assigned to complete job.
This model is used also for the Home Visit services and ensure that any issues that arise can be identified and dealt with before the next visit.
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7. What is Care and Repair’s Volunteer Policy?
Volunteers are recruited via Westmeath Volunteer Centre.
All our Volunteers are Garda Vetted.
The Volunteer is covered under the Care and Repair public liability insurance.
At least 2 volunteers are assigned to all jobs, where possible, both repair and home visits.
All volunteers are contacted by Care and Repair team on completion of jobs, and home visits.
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8. How does Care & Repair fit with Age Friendly Strategy of WCC?
Care & Repair is three actions in the Strategy, under the Housing/Home theme, these actions are;
Expand the Home Visit Service Befriending Service.
Continue the rollout and promotion of the Repair service in Westmeath .
To expand into other areas and to increase numbers benefiting.
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9. What did Care & Repair do in 2017?
182 People availed of Care & Repair.
18 People availed of the Home Visit Service.
171 People availed of the Repair Service.
3,552 Befriending Calls completed in 2017
205 Care & Repair jobs completed
572 Home Visits completed.
20 people volunteered with Care and Repair.
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10. What will Care & Repair do in 2018(as per SICAP 2018-2022?
125 people will avail of Care & Repair.
150 people will benefit from Befriending.
14 people will be referred to local support groups such as CIC and Help Link South.
20 people will be referred to active retirement groups.
20 new volunteers will be sought for Care and Repair.
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11. How is the Care & Repair Home Visit, Befriending Service advertised?
Awareness of the service is promoted amongst older people’s groups, Doctors surgeries, Hairdressers, Hospitals, church bulletins.
Advertising for volunteers for service is ongoing and is organised by Volunteer Centre.
Training organised for volunteers, most recently in December 2017 in Mullingar and Athlone.
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12. Further information on Care and Repair is on our website , www. westcd
Further information on Care and Repair is on our website , Thank you for your attention. Anne Campbell.
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