LifeCare Edinburgh, the older people’s support charity, is today announcing it has secured £100,000 from Barclay’s 100×100 UK COVID-19 Community Relief Programme.
This funding will enable the charity to deliver its important new ‘meals on wheels’ service set up to support some of the most vulnerable and isolated local older people through the crisis.
This will be particularly important over the challenging winter months ahead when older vulnerable people will require more support than ever to maintain physical and mental health and to remain connected to others through this unprecedented time.
The Stockbridge-based charity has almost 80 years of experience supporting older people living across the city.
The range of support services offered by the care organisation allows older residents to comfortably stay in their own home for longer. For example, the charity runs essential help at home services, registered outreach services and hosts three day centres for those with dementia and the frail elderly living throughout the city.
However, the crisis and the subsequent restrictions, has radically affected the usual range of in-person care services proudly offered by the charity. LifeCare has had to quickly evaluate, adapt and launch new programmes of support, such as this new meals on wheels service, to ensure that those in need continue to receive the high-quality support older people urgently need.
Kirstine Fergusson, Interim CEO of LifeCare, said: “We are so grateful to Barclays for this phenomenal level of support. The £100,000 award will enable our dedicated teams to deliver 100 hot meals a day to some of the most vulnerable and isolated older people living across our local communities right now.
“We all know that the colder, winter months ahead look a little harder for us all this year, but this is particularly true for the people we continue to support every day.
“Our older people are missing usual interactions such as coming to our day centres and participating in our varied support programmes. They are no longer easily able to get out of the house, have a change of scene and perhaps sit in our café to enjoy the company of others.
“Many of our clients live alone, are fearful or unable to leave their homes by themselves and they can become very isolated, so we are delighted that because of this new partnership with Barclays we are now able to visit those most in need regularly to check in, to say hello and to provide them with a hot and nutritious meal to keep them going through the colder and darker days. This is truly life-changing support.”
Scott Stewart, Head of Barclays Scotland, said: “This crisis has had an unprecedented impact across Scotland and we know this is an incredibly challenging time for many communities.
“By reaching those most in need of support LifeCare is playing a vital role in this crisis. At Barclays we are doing everything we can for our customers, clients and colleagues to help them through this pandemic. We hope that the donations we are making to charities across Scotland, including LifeCare, will allow them to amplify their vital work and support more people as the crisis develops.”
This new meals on wheels service will be managed by the team working within LifeCare’s renowned community café on Cheyne Street by their Help at Home service. The small team will deliver 14,000 freshly prepared hot meals across the coming months.
The charity will be targeting local older people most affected by the restrictions. If you, or someone you know, would like to benefit from the meals on wheels service please call 0131 343 0940 to discuss.
For more information visit https://www.lifecare-edinburgh.org.uk/