News-N-Views

12 News-N-Views / Spring 2013
Partners help
homeless man, 83
An 83-year-old man with mobility
issues and memory problems was
made homeless when his partner
told him she was not able to look
after him after he had a serious fall.
As his six week stay in hospital came
to an end, the gentleman turned
to Newcastle Housing Advice and
Aspire’s lettings team for support.
Being a priority case, he was found
a home within one of Aspire’s
sheltered schemes.
Nicholas Bolger and student social
worker Steve Hammond assessed his
needs and planned his new home
including a referral to Neil Reeves
from the floating support team.
Neil met the gentleman and with
the support of student Liz Colclough
and sheltered scheme manager Karen
Bratton, the customer was moved
into his new home within a week.
Neil, Liz and Karen work tirelessly in
partnership with a range of professionals
to ensure the move happened on time.
The customer also received support
from Furniture Mine to provide a bed,
sofa, chair, table and wardrobe for
his new home.
He is now settling into his new home
and receiving occupational therapy
treatment from Sue Smith.
Aspire’s assistant independent
living manager Nick Bolger said:
“This experience shows how Aspire
can co-ordinate a multi-agency response
to support a homeless elderly vulnerable
man to regain his independence and
safety in the community.”
You may be
VAT exempt
Caring customers
Young and old brush up creative skills
A group of residents from Mill Rise
in Cross Heath took part in an
intergenerational art project with
young people from Project House
at Ramsey Road.
The project, called ‘Intercom’ involved
four art sessions around the theme of
‘Things to do,’ past and present and was
run by Creative Arts North Staffordshire.
The first of the sessions, which all took
place in the hobby room at Mill Rise,
gave the chance for the group of older
and younger participants to generate
ideas for their work and discuss the
differences/similarities in interests and
pastimes between the generations and
also offered the chance for the older
generation to share their knowledge
and skills with the young people.
It also provided the young people with
an opportunity to give an insight into
their interests and teach the older
generation new skills in technological
advances such as smartphone apps.
The project has helped to challenge
perceptions of the age gap and
increase understanding and
respect between generations.
An exhibition of all the work was
displayed at Ramsey Road Community
Centre where participants and the
wider audience were invited to take
a look. The exhibition has moved to
Mill Rise to give residents there the
chance to look at the completed work.
You may be exempt from VAT if you
need to buy items that will assist you
or is to be used for someone who is
chronically sick or disabled. Please visit
Ability Aware for more information:
www.abilityaware.com
Customers at Durber Close sheltered
housing scheme in Audley knitted some
dog blankets for the City Dogs Home
in Stoke on Trent.