The South Glos Post

South Gloucestershire Council says it is ploughing an additional £2.7million into more care for the elderly.

This increased funding could mean an extra 300 – 400 people are able to live at home longer, thanks to investment in initiatives such as an additional 1500 hours per week of home care which will be available to those who need it and is on top of the 10,000 home care hours already provided by the council.

Cllr Matthew Riddle, executive member for community care and housing, said: “Even as the council makes its contribution towards paying off the national debt, we are putting in the extra funding to help hundreds more older residents stay in their own homes for longer, so they can avoid going into residential care for as long as possible.

“Our aim with this extra funding is to provide a package of care that meets people’s very individual needs and this budget will allow us to do that.

“Whatever form the support takes, the additional funding is invaluable in helping us provide additional support for more people and their carers. At every step we aim to give people the maximum choice and control over what help they have.”

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Source: South Gloucestershire Council

South Gloucestershire Council, in partnership with Jobcentre Plus, is holding two job fairs at the end of March for people interested in a career in Care.

The events will be held on Wednesday 30th March at Yate Library, 44 West Walk, Yate and on Thursday 31st March at Kingswood Library, High Street, Kingswood. Both events start at 10am and run until 4pm.

There will be a wide variety of organisations in attendance offering a range of full and part-time, temporary and permanent vacancies in Care, alongside a wealth of training and advice providers. Confirmed attendees include Jobcentre Plus, SeeAbility, Care Ambassadors, McKinnon’s, Care UK, Cardell House, Kenver, Elite Nursing, Wayside, The Grove, Seetec, City of Bristol College and Filton College.

These organisations will promote their vacancies face-to-face with potential employees, carry out initial screening or basic interviews at the events, as well as providing support to fill out application forms and write CVs. In addition, the council’s community learning service will be on hand to promote adult numeracy and literacy courses and the two colleges will offer Care-related courses for people to retrain or up-skill.

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Source: South Gloucestershire Council

South Gloucestershire Council is improving the support it provides to the district’s carers with increased investment and a range of innovative ideas.

There are an estimated 20,000 carers in South Gloucestershire and the council recognises the huge contribution they make. The council, in partnership with NHS South Gloucestershire, has developed a Joint Carers Strategy that is designed to provide the very best support to carers. This strategy has been carefully developed incorporating feedback and comments from carers themselves.

The strategy aims to empower carers by extending more choice and control to them. One way of achieving this is to give carers direct payments so that they can arrange and pay for services, such as a carers’ break, how and when it suits them, rather than the council commissioning a service it thinks carers need.

Carers are also being helped in developing their own support networks –where carers themselves have a greater say in running and influencing the groups. The council has set aside nearly £100,000 to help set up these carers groups.

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Source: South Gloucestershire Council

A brand new, purpose built day centre for people with dementia has just opened in Yate.

The centre replaces the Woodleaze facility, and is located in the new, multi-million pound Cambrian Green Court extra care housing development.

The new centre has been built as part of the council’s ongoing work to support the increasing number of people with dementia, and their carers. The aim is to help people remain well and as independent as possible within the community.

The new unit is larger, and has more facilities, than the one it has replaced. Increased investment in staffing means that more people can benefit from the support offered at Cambrian Green, with an additional ten places per day.

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Source: South Gloucestershire Council