Cross Keys offers a Lifeline
February 26, 2010
PETERBOROUGH’S largest landlord is backing a report by the Audit Commission calling for local councils to consider alternative ways of caring for the city’s population as it grows older.
The report, Under Pressure, says most councils do not know enough about the costs of their ageing populations. It also suggests they may miss the savings that could be made from preventative services and better work with other organisations. Cross Keys Homes is committed to helping people to live independently in their homes. The housing association already helps more than 2,500 people to do this through its Lifeline alarm service. Cross Keys Homes’ director of operations, Claire Higgins, said: “Older people want to retain their independence as long as they can and now that they are living longer, they very often want to stay in their own homes and to feel safe and able to summon help if they need it. Our Lifeline service has a real capacity to help many more people do just that.” Cross Keys Homes’ Lifeline service can assist in a variety of ways from supplying a standard lifeline pendant for use in an emergency through to providing a bit more support such as; if they have recently have been discharged from hospital, are at risk of falling in their home, suffering from mild confusion and prone to leaving their bath running or even wandering from their home and becoming disorientated. Claire added: “Such services can go a long way to help ease the funding pressures experienced by the NHS and the city council. Acute care in hospital for example if someone falls and breaks their hip is very expensive and residential care homes cost individuals and the council large amounts of money. Preventative and lower level support services such as those we can offer are a perfect way of reducing the stresses on the health and social care services while enabling people to remain independent and safe in their own homes which is undoubtedly where the vast majority of people want to stay for as long as they can.” Cross Keys Homes’ Lifeline service is offered as part of the standard package in all our sheltered housing schemes and is also an alternative to moving into sheltered or warden controlled accommodation. However a majority of the Lifeline units are installed in private homes providing an alternative to sheltered or warden controlled schemes. Lifeline provides a 24-hour emergency response at the touch of a button. If you know anybody who may benefit from a Lifeline, then Cross Keys Homes can help them to live independently from as little as £4.20 a week. For further information about Lifeline call 01733 396439. ENDSPress contact: Katie Taylor, communications and marketing manager, Cross Keys Homes, 01733 385116
