Trust staff help its older residents during the big freeze
11th January 2010
Trust staff have gone to great lengths to help
older residents during the recent snow.
With icy and treacherous conditions outside, many residents have
been stuck indoors and were particularly vulnerable as they may not
have relatives or carers to help them get food, medicines and other
supplies.
The Trust’s sheltered housing officers and tradestaff have
proved a lifeline during the freezing conditions, sweeping paths,
collecting prescriptions and delivering food basics.
The Trust owns 1,700 sheltered housing homes in Bath and North
East Somerset, and provides a support service for those residents.
Most residents choose to receive a daily check-up call and this was
rarely more important than during last week’s cold snap. Staff
worked hard to try and contact everyone to check they were
well.
Some staff collected food, prescriptions and electricity tokens
for people, and in one case sat with a resident who had fallen,
until a paramedic was able to attend.
The Trust also employs over 80 tradestaff and their distinctive
burgundy and cream vans are a common sight across our
neighbourhoods. While the offices were forced to close due to the
conditions, the Trust continued to operate its 24-hour emergency
repairs service. Despite the weather, tradestaff were able to
respond quickly to problems that were reported.
Tradestaff also worked in their communities, checking up on
residents, and sweeping paths at sheltered housing sites. In
Keynsham, two tradestaff made the TV news (BBC Points West,
Wednesday 6th January) helping to deliver meals-on-wheels, as the
service’s own drivers were snow-bound.
Managing Director Angela Gascoigne, said:
‘I would like to thank everyone who has
pulled together to help our residents during this difficult period.
We have always had staff working in local neighbourhoods, and we
shouldn’t underestimate the value of older residents being on first
name terms with them. This gives them real piece of mind, where
they might be wary of letting strangers into their homes.’