Services:

• Older People
• Youth, Children & Families
• Mental Health
• Elder Care Canterbury
• Volunteers

HomeShare expands

Enliven is working in partnership with the West Coast District Health Board to bring the innovative HomeShare programme to the Coast. The service enables isolated older people who cannot access existing day-care facilities to meet in small groups in private homes in their community to enjoy a day activity programme, companionship and a hot, home-cooked meal. “Presbyterian Support already provides a number of our Family Works services on the West Coast, but this is our first service specifically for older people,” says Penny Taylor, Regional Manager with responsibility for the West Coast. “We are really interested in working with the District Health Board to be innovative. Day activity programmes on the Coast are currently only available on a limited basis in the main centres, and while they do a great job, there is much more need.” The new service will start out small to demonstrate how the model can work, with a view to extending it in future. “It will be for Coasters, by Coasters – a community response. We want to connect local people with local people in a way that would best meet their needs,” Penny says. Hosts with suitable premises are contracted to open their homes up to a small group of older people for six hours each session and provide a hot meal. They are trained and receive ongoing support from the service co-ordinator, Joan Lyon. Participants will be referred through the hospital’s CareLink service.