The First Year

The first job of the TLC Link team was to go out to find people whose needs could be met by the project.

Leaflets were created and dispatched to over 500 organisations. Project workers personally visited numerous public agencies like doctors' surgeries, police stations, libraries, and dental surgeries etc. They spoke to their staff about the project and asked them to display publicity leaflets. The project leader gave presentations to interested agencies who were likely to make referrals. Adverts were placed in local publications.

The clientelle gradually built to 50 over the first 12 months. Forms of interviention included,

• befriending
• maintaining telephone contact
• housework
• shopping
• taking people out to the park
• taking them to daycentres
• escorting to hospital appointments
• advising about available services
• keeping hobbies and interests alive
• introducing to local social activities

Many referrals were made to agencies for needs such as

• aids and adaptations
• community alarm service
• taxi card
• housing repairs
• Dial a Ride
• carer relief
• environmental cleansing
• pensions advice
• optician
• support for linguistic minority needs
• district nurse

The project staff were grateful for the guidance of a steering group made up of a group of local professional people.

The project leader was interested in giving dementia sufferers and their carers the tools to fight back against the condition. She collected information on diet, nutrition and lifestyle that could help prevent and slow the advancement of dementia and age related memory loss. Displays of this material were made at two local health events. To go to our self help page with books and websites on this subject click here