Housing provider pledges service ‘Fit For The Future’

A leading housing provider has outlined its commitment to transform the sector and continue helping customers to live as independently as possible in their own homes.

As the population ages, Bield has placed a high priority on providing services that promote healthy ageing and creating partnerships that integrate customers with the community and local assets.

Facilitating independent living starts at the housing allocation process, with individuals across the provider now being assigned to properties in relation to their specific needs.

Although allocations are based on a traffic system and dependent in each area, this management can help to reduce moves and supports longer term tenancies.

Chief Executive of Bield, Dr Lynne Douglas, said: “With a growing older population and people living with more complex needs, it has resulted in a flexible structure being implemented. The model Bield operates allows services to be added or removed as required.

“For example, some of our developments benefit from additional meal service options whereas others are linked in with the Care Inspectorate which enables care-at-home to be provided.

“It’s important for us that we offer support in specially designed accommodation that is affordable, sustainable and suited to the individual.

“An integrated approach and working to support the needs of all parties is required to fully enable older people to live independently – making Scotland not only the best place to grow up, but also to grow old.”

The provider, which operates in 22 local authority areas across the country and has a diverse customer base of over 5,000 individuals, has seen first-hand the importance of community relationships after working closely with groups throughout the pandemic.

Sourcing prescriptions and shopping for groceries were only some of the acts of kindness displayed, which is something Bield has incorporated Kindness   to its core organisational values.

Lynne added: “Helping customers integrate into the local and wider community is an extremely important part of what we do.

“Due to the average age of our customers, many of them live alone so we have a variety of ways to ensure they remain socially connected through external partnerships as well as with neighbours and staff internally.

“We’ve trained staff to have more meaningful conversations with older customers as well as facilitating an ongoing, innovative partnership with Midlothian Health and Social Care Partnership and Inverclyde Health and Care Social Partnership to bridge digital exclusion.” 

Bield’s Alarm Receiving Centre (BR24) also plays an important role in understanding how older customers can benefit from being connected to local assets such as community hubs, while the service focuses on providing round the clock support.

Lynne added: “We’ve found through qualitative data gathering from our Inspire project, that BR24 has actually helped individuals transform their lives through only a short intervention with an operator.”

This reinforces the Bield’s ‘Free to Be’ philosophy which encourages people to make their own choices about how they live their lives whilst being there to offer support if needed.

Bield launches award to celebrate acts of kindness

One of Scotland’s leading housing providers has launched an initiative to celebrate its community for their acts of kindness.

Housing and care provider, Bield, has launched a platform to recognise individuals going above and beyond in the community, naming the award – ‘You are one of a Kind’.

Running until March 2022, customers, owners, service users, staff and members of the local community will have the chance every month to nominate their local heroes or heroines who have gone out of their way to lend a helping hand.

At the end of each month, a board of judges will select a Bield customer along with a Bield staff member or volunteer to receive the One of a Kind Award and a £50 voucher.

This comes as Bield is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and is looking to get as many people as possible involved in the milestone.

Chief Executive of Bield, Dr Lynne Douglas said: “Many things can go unnoticed as people go about their day to day life and this award gives us the perfect opportunity to recognise all the little things that make a big difference to individuals and their communities – especially in the current climate.

“The community at Bield has rallied together throughout the pandemic so we are really excited to launch this initiative and give those people a platform to share their amazing efforts.

“Our first series of nominations have started to come through and the stories so far have been incredible – it is wonderful to see individuals supporting each other.

 “The Bield community is truly one of a kind and we felt this award will help showcase and celebrate the amazing people we interact with on a daily basis.”

This award further amplifies the importance the provider has put on kindness, last year it was added to its core values, building on the ethos staff and customers live by.

Customers, staff and volunteers can cast vote here: 

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=Sw49M7C0qUOtpRsCxgri41WlGYsudCRGkIdsKknXwItURUZVOEFCMVpUSDNMNFRaU0VNTEpBMFZTQS4u

Bield is a registered charity which grew from humble beginnings, starting out with one housing development in Bo’ness which has gone on to become a major provider of housing and care services for around 20,000 older people across 22 local authority areas.

To find out more about Bield and its developments, visit www.bield.co.uk or follow on Facebook @bieldhousingandcare and Twitter @BieldScotland.