Staying Put Agency case studies

We received a referral about a 60 year old man with mental health issues, who had a leaking tap in his kitchen.

Our caseworker arranged a home visit and it quickly became clear that the tap was not the only problem. Mr W had no gas or electricity, and his house was run-down and in desperate need of a deep clean. Due to his mental health issues and struggling with the loss of his father many years ago, he couldn't come to terms with looking after himself properly and cleaning his home. He hadn't paid his bills and didn't read his post, so his debt was increasing by the day.

We discovered that the kitchen tap wasn't just leaking, it was constantly stuck on the maximum. We arranged for a plumber to visit and the tap was replaced due to its age and condition. We also arranged for Mr W's home to be deep-cleaned via our hoarding intervention service. We arranged for a charity called DISC to visit Mr W, and they provided support to help him get back on track with looking after himself and keeping his property clean.

We also provided support to Mr W around his financial situation. We helped to get an agreement plan put in place with his electrical company, and electricity was restored to the property. Mr W was provided with various energy efficiency measures which were funded by the charity National Energy Action and have helped him to save money on his household bills throughout the year. We also provided him with a hat, gloves, thermal blanket, slow cooker, and microwave as part of our winter warmth scheme.

We keep in touch with Mr W and it is obvious to see how much our intervention has helped, his mental health has improved, his property is kept clean, and above all Mr W is more confident.

Transcript
My daughter was the first one to tell me about the Staying Put Agency, and she found out about them by way of somebody that works for her and their parents had used them, and they were delighted. So we got in touch with Staying Put Agency and one of their agents came up to check that I was, first of all, I was on Pension Credit because that made it legible and then what sort of work I wanted doing. I wanted a level-access shower because I'd had a knee operation, I'm waiting for a hip operation, and I couldn't use the previous facility, right, in fact it was very dangerous really. And from there I just can't tell you how relieved I was. The courtesy that the Staying Put Agency showed me, I never at any time felt it was just a charity case, I thought they were absolutely wonderful.

Transcript
Hi I'm Carol and I've recently had a bathroom installed by the Staying Put Agency and I'd just like to say how thrilled I am with it. I stumbled on the Staying Put Agency through a friend who recommended them as I wasn't aware of them. From start to finish they did an absolutely fantastic job and kept me informed every step of the way. It has transformed my life immensely as I was finding getting in and out of a bath quite a task in itself. Therefore if anybody wants to get in touch with the Staying Put Agency I would highly recommend it and I know I'm glad for sure that I did.

Mrs S is an 89 year old lady with dementia, high blood pressure, and poor mobility. Her condition has deteriorated over the last 6 months and she's needed more support at home from family members.

When Mrs S was admitted to hospital with delirium, a hospital-based occupational therapist made a referral to our assistive technology team. We arranged a home visit with Mrs S, her son, and her daughter-in-law, where we carried out a full Telecare assessment.

We installed Telecare within one day of the visit. This included a fall detector and bed sensor to support Mrs S' mobility problems. We also installed environmental sensors, smoke alarms, a heat sensor, and carbon monoxide detector.

Mrs S sometimes leaves the house to look for her deceased cat and forgets her way home. Mrs S and her son agreed to a Buddi GPS system which reassures her family that they'll be able to find her immediately.

As Mrs S also struggled to get up and down the stairs with one bannister rail, we installed an extra stair rail, as well as a key safe for carers to get access to the house.

Mrs S' son says that the Telecare equipment and stair rail have given her a new lease of life, as well as giving her family peace of mind knowing their mum is safer at home. Before we started working with Mrs S, there had been discussions with the social care team about increasing Mrs S' care package, but this has been put on hold as the family are not as worried about her now the Telecare sensors and stair rail have been fitted. Mrs S has also settled a lot more and feels safer in her own home than before.

Mrs D was referred to the Staying Put Agency via a hospital-based social worker. After her husband passed away, her health deteriorated and she spent several weeks in hospital.

When Mrs D returned home, one of our caseworkers spent time with her and her family to discuss plans to make daily living easier. The caseworker noticed that the house was in disrepair and the kitchen was basically a shed attached to the rear of the property. The caseworker arranged an urgent survey, which identified that the kitchen, bathroom, and central heating all needed upgrading.

Our technical team, a local architect, contractors, and a financial adviser worked together to design a kitchen extension, put in place a loan package, and apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG).

Once the works had started, the DFG application was completed so all the works could be carried out at the same time, causing less disruption for Mrs D. The caseworker worked with Mrs D and her family throughout the process, providing support and reassurance.

Due to the age and unreliability of Mrs D's boiler, two separate applications were made to fund a full new heating system. These applications were successful, and a plan was put in place with a local heating engineer to install the new system, which included a simple control unit.

The survey had also identified an issue with the external lighting at the front door, causing a dark and potentially dangerous area at the entrance to the house. At the time, electrical safety grants were available so the wiring and security light could be upgraded immediately.

Finally to give Mrs D and the family peace of mind, our handyperson service installed grab rails, a keysafe, and the Telecare pendant service.

Sources of funding and applications can be complex, but we take this complexity away from the client and make sure they have a seamless service.

Miss K told us: "My mum's situation is difficult and complex. I would like to commend the way in which the Staying Included service have provided excellent support, Caseworker Leah has been instrumental in getting the help and support we need for my mum, which we did not have previous to her involvement.

My mum responds well to Leah as she is a kind and caring person who is always willing to listen and reassures her which is what my mum needs. Staying Included have provided us with lots of support and information which will help us all as a family and Leah has always answered any questions or worries promptly, providing a very important service to my mum and us as a family."

Our Assistive Technology Assessor contacted Mr M after he was admitted to hospital following a fall. We discussed the Connect Service and equipment with Mr M. and his wife, and agreed that a wrist-worn fall detector and a bed sensor would be the best equipment to help him live at home safely. He also agreed to have a key safe installed so care staff and responders could easily get access to his home if he needed help when his wife was out.

A few weeks after leaving hospital, Mr M. had a fall during the night. His fall detector and bed sensor both activated, and responders came quickly to help him up, as his wife wasn't able to lift him. Mr M. said the responders were amazing, reassuring him and explaining what they were doing every step of the way. Mrs M. also said it's taken a weight off her shoulders knowing that help is there when they need it.