Agenda and draft minutes

(IF ANY)

Cllr Alexander

Cllr Wilson

Manuela Toporowska (Haringey Forum for Older People)

The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of urgent business.  (Late items will be considered under the agenda item where they appear.  New items will be dealt with at Item 8 below).

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A Member with a personal interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered must disclose to the meeting the existence and nature of that interest at the commencement of that consideration, or when the interest becomes apparent.

A Member with a personal interest in a matter also has a prejudicial interest in that matter if the interest is one which a Member of the public, with knowledge of the relevant facts, would reasonably regard as so significant that it is likely to prejudice the Member’s judgement of the public interest.

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To approve the minutes of the meeting of 15^th October 2007.

Carried forward to next meeting

To hear an overview of the Commissioning Panel process and to receive feedback from Member’s attendance at the meeting.

Carried forward to next meeting

To receive evidence from Diana Edmonds, Assistant Director Culture, Libraries and Learning.

Diana Edmonds (Assistant Director Culture, Libraries and Learning) gave evidence and answered questions on the work currently undertaken by the Libraries services.

There are significant pockets of libraries usage by Older People throughout the borough.  For example, Tottenham, Coombes Croft, Highgate and Muswell Hill.

It is important that facilities in libraries are ‘easy’ for Older People e.g. accessible, toilet facilities, chairs the correct height.

Older People’s capabilities are taken on board when ordering stock, for example large print and cassettes.

IT training courses take place in all libraries.  IT is an important aspect of many Older People’s lives as it can be used for social interaction, staying in contact with family, doing on-line shopping etc.  Prevents Older People from being isolated.  There are large keyboards to assist.

Special Services include a mobile library for those who are housebound.  Information on these people is kept on a database and referrals come through Adult Services and by self referral.  Once a person has been referred they are visited by a staff member to discuss their requirements, they are then visited once a month with new material.

Noted that this service could link up with Meals on Wheels who are aware of housebound people, and also by visiting day centres to increase awareness of the service.

Information and learning include ‘Happy Heart days’.  These are sessions which aim to help people keep mobile.

Good relationship with Age Concern, who can book courses for Older People.

Drop-ins, coffee mornings and other social interaction settings are being encouraged.

Link with the Access Pathways Project currently being undertaken in Adult, Culture and Community Services.

Newspapers are supplied taking into consideration the desires of the local community, for example Cypriot papers.  Books are also supplied in community languages.

Discussion points

Libraries are more than providers of books; they are also a good contact point with residents in the borough.

Noted that libraries are also an access to warmth for older people.  This is especially the case in some areas of the west of the borough, for example Highgate, where older people are often equity rich and cash poor.

Diana Edmonds will speak to teams at the Haringey Teaching Primary Care Trust to ensure that they know what services are provided.

Not all libraries are currently accessible for older people, for example Highgate does not have accessible toilets.

There is currently no written ‘plan’ in place to link libraries with the wider well-being agenda.

There are currently two well-being suites (Marcus Garvey and Wood Green Library).  These run sessions such as Massage where residents are also taught massage techniques linked to their well-being.

Noted that aspects of life-long learning could be improved.

Action points

What are the numbers of Older People that use the services provided by libraries?

To receive evidence from Andy Briggs, Head of Sports and Leisure Services.

Andy Briggs (Head of Sports and Leisure Services) gave evidence and answered questions on the work undertaken by Leisure Services.

Issues in raising the usage of Leisure centres by Older People:

There is a perception by Older People that Leisure Centres are for younger people. 

Raising awareness and breaking down the barriers. For example, people understanding what they can access.

Transport issues

Confidence, in that older people can find going to a leisure centre daunting.

The Active Card is only used by 5% of the over 65yrs of age population across the borough.

There is a perception that parking is not free for those using Tottenham Green, this is not the case. Those over the age of 65yrs also get a free parking notice with their Active Cards.

All facilities are Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) compliant.  There are hoists in place to assist people getting into pools, also areas with no steps and women only sessions.

There are specific sessions provided for older people and there are sessions which are free of charge.

Not all sessions are conducted within the Leisure Centres.  This year the service began to go out to the Community.  For example into Care Homes.  These include Cranwood, Red House and Broadwater Farm, where one hour sessions take place each week to raise awareness of the benefits of keeping active and also to promote movement.  These are conducted by the services fitness instructors, attended by 5-8 people and feedback received is good.

The service would like to build on this but the funding is not available at present.

Scope for greater link up between leisure and libraries in the homes visited.

The gym at Tottenham Green is used by a high number of people who are 50 years of age and above.  For as many people who use the gym there are likely to be as many again who do not necessarily have the confidence to attend.  This is also a barrier which needs to be overcome.

The service acknowledges that they have further work to do, for example at Park Lane and White Hart Lane centres.  Provision will be developed in 2008.

There is a GP referral scheme in place with 9 surgeries on board. (this is funded through the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund and is a joint venture with the TPCT).  This scheme consists of referrals for a 12 week cardiac programme with incentives included to encourage the person to continue using the gym afterwards.  Staff are trained from within the NRF money and the aim is to keep these staff at the centres.

This is a scheme that the service would like to develop further including the possibility of extending it to other areas. For example to include the sessions at the New River Sports Centre for people who have had a stroke.

There are also free walking programmes in place.

Points of discussion

Noted that services available at Tottenham Green Leisure centre sound excellent. 

There are more services here in comparison to other centres  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

To receive evidence from Robert Edmonds.

A background DVD will be shown.

The panel received evidence from Robert Edmonds, Director, Age Concern Haringey.

Age Concern receives 60% of its funding from Statutory services including the TPCT and Adult Services.  Other funding streams include Neighbourhood Renewal Fund and the Big Lottery Fund.

Age Concern Haringey has 22 staff members and 100 volunteers.

An Age Concern DVD was shown illustrating the impact that joined up services can have on an older person’s life.

There is a belief that Haringey is making progress at a strategic level and that it is about joining up the dots.

The well-being and preventative approaches are to be welcomed.  However there are concerns that the 1% increase announced for Social Care in the Comprehensive Spending review is not in keeping with inflation.

Advantages of the voluntary and community sector organisations include the fact that people are aware of other people’s activity.  For example, they are likely to notice when someone who regularly attends a day centre does not arrive.

Reference to Annex 1 in ‘All Our Tomorrows’ policy document.  A New Direction in the Community model which places Older People at the centre.

Felt that more could be done across the partnership in terms of helping publicise services. For example Haringey Council advertises four drop in centres in the borough, where in reality there are more than fifteen available for people to attend.  Why are they not being jointly advertised?

Issue that Older People are still not necessarily being seen as participating citizens.

Reference to the Projects for Older People Projects funding from the Department of Health, noted that this will be ring fenced but details were not available at this time.

There are potentially great benefits to be gained by the Befriending Service.  68 people are currently involved in this.  Benefits also include:

A reduction in the risk of isolation

An increase in a person’s confidence

The benefits can often take 6-8 months before they begin to take effect.

Belief that Haringey needs a number of Older People champions across the services to enable the desired vision to be achieved.

There is a need to bear in mind day opportunities, especially culturally specific ones like the Cypriot Centre and the Irish Centre, when considering the funding associated with Local Area Agreements.  This will be a challenge.

Noted that HAVCO (Haringey Association of Voluntary and Community Organisations) has a Well-being Theme group which involves between 30-40 organisations.

This is a useful avenue for networking and for consultation.

There needs to be a shift in the way that older people are involved in the commissioning of services. 

Older people should be consulted on which services should be commissioned.

Older People need to be asked ‘How can I help you to get involved?’  This would enable Older People to continue to feel that they have a roe in society.  They would be contributing to the services that they are receiving.

Important to note that front-line staff are key to the inclusion of Older People.  It is these people who can identify  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

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Monday December 17^th. 13:00-15:00 – to be confirmed.

Monday December 17^th, 11.30am to 2.00pm