Charities Which Support Older People

Charities Which Support Older People

Older people don’t just have to rely on the local council or NHS for heath and care services. Support services in Sussex also provided by charities, giving you more options and more choice.

From large national charities with regional branches to independent local charities, there is lots of help on hand locally to improve quality of life for older people. Here are some such charities:

Age UK

As the largest charity for older people in the UK, Age UK runs dedicated local services in the Sussex area.

Age UK East Sussex, Age UK West Sussex and Age UK Brighton & Hove are brand partners of Age UK but are independent charities in their own right. The services they provide have a local focus and are designed to enrich the lives of older people.

Age UK East Sussex offer many services including advice and counselling, healthy living clubs, support for people just home from hospital, day clubs to reduce isolation, a community navigator to provide support to older people and their carers, plus scam prevention and help at home services.

Furthermore, Age UK Brighton & Hove offer advice, advocacy, counselling, crisis services, help at home, IT drop in centres, sports and activities.

Services provided by Age UK West Sussex include sports, activities and social clubs, confidential advice on a wide variety of subjects, home from hospital care and help at home services to help with domestic chores.

You can use their postcode search engine to find out more about Age UK run services and activities in your area.

Admiral Nurses

Admiral Nurses, run by charity Dementia UK, are specialist dementia nurses who help families live more positively with Dementia. Teams of Admiral Nurses work in the community, as well as in hospitals, hospices and care homes, to empower those living with the condition.

The Brighton and Hove Admiral Nurse Service is available for older people with dementia who are registered with a Brighton and Hove CCG. They must be referred to Admiral Nurses by a healthcare professional. Elsewhere, the West Sussex Admiral Nurse Service with Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust can be accessed if a dementia sufferer is registered with a GP in the Crawley CCG or Horsham and Mid Sussex CCG. They can be referred to the service via their GP with permission from their carer.

You can find out more information about local Admiral Nurse Teams on their website.

In addition to providing local specialist care, Admiral Nurses also have a national helpline. If you have a question about Dementia you can contact an Admiral Nurse by phone or email to seek their advice.

Alzheimer’s Society

Alzheimer’s Society are a charity which offers support for anyone affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other types of Dementia. They also work on medical research, seeking better ways to treat Dementia and find a cure.

The charity has 3,000 local support services across England, Wales and Northern Ireland to assist Dementia sufferers and those who care for them. You can use their simple search tool to find services in your local area.

In Sussex, the Alzheimer’s Society offers services including:

  • ‘Carer Information & Support’ providing help for carers
  • Dementia Cafés and lunch clubs
  • ‘See Haven Clubs’ where people with dementia can socialise and take part in activities
  • ‘Singing for the Brain’, group music therapy for people with dementia
  • Cognitive Stimulation
  • Dementia advisers who offer guidance on living with dementia
  • Peer support groups
  • Dementia support, offering practical guidance from experienced support workers
  • Memory support service

Alzheimer’s Society also offers support and advice online nationally, including on their forum Talking Point, and via their helpline 0300 222 1122.

Stroke Association

As the leading charity for people recovering from stroke in the UK, Stroke Association offers invaluable services for those affected by the condition.

Stroke is the UK’s fourth largest cause of death. However, the chances of recovering from stroke has doubled over the past 20 years.

Stroke Association researches new treatments as well as providing support services that help those affected by stroke to rebuild their lives. They offer tailored medical support for those leaving hospital. Communication support for people with aphasia is also available, plus emotional support and peer support sessions.

They also provide exercise-based stroke rehabilitation programmes and post-stroke reviews so that those recovering can receive a holistic overview of their on-going health needs.

You can find Stroke Association services in your area here.

Some of the services Stroke Association offer in Sussex include:

Brighton & Hove Impetus

Brighton and Hove Impetus is an independent charity which works to improve the quality of life for vulnerable adults across Brighton and Hove. They support service users in making positive life choices and improving their wellbeing.

They provide a variety of services for older people as well as people struggling with mental health issues, people with physical or learning disabilities, people with autism and other vulnerable groups.

Brighton and Hove Impetus also runs a Neighbourhood Care Scheme to reduce isolation and build community connections.

Find out more about the service here.

Impact Initiatives

Impact Initiatives is a local charity which runs support services in Sussex for citizens of all ages, supporting them to lead fulfilling lives and feel part of the community.

The charity has cafes and centres for older people which provide a wide range of activities which help maintain and improve health and wellbeing, including specialist support for people with dementia. They also run befriending schemes and in West Sussex provide one-to-one employment support for carers

They also provide advocacy and health services as well as counselling and social activities. Tailored health coaching is offered for people living with ongoing health problems via a useful telephone service.

You can find out more about how Impact Initiatives could help your loved one here. You can also read the articles they have specially written for Age Space here.

Time to Talk Befriending

Time to Talk Befriending is a Sussex-based charity founded to reduce loneliness among older people. They offer befriending services for older people who might have few friends or family members to keep them company.

The charity’s intergenerational team of volunteers are partnered with older people who they visit once a week or once a fortnight. The scheme aims to form strong friendships between volunteers and service users, reducing social isolation.

Find out more here

Action For Elder Abuse

This specialist organisation work in Sussex and across the UK to alleviate Elder Abuse. Action For Elder Abuse exclusively work on this issue, giving them unprecedented expertise on preventing the neglect and abuse of older people within the home, in sheltered housing, care homes, hospitals and other settings.

Action For Elder Abuse provides advice and resources which help to combat and prevent elder abuse and campaign to bring about change for victims. The organisation works with care providers, local and national governments, regulators, third sector groups and other organisation to protect older people.

Their helpline is a useful contact point if you have any concerns or suspicions about the safety of your loved ones and their Elder Abuse Recovery Service provides further assistance.

You can find out more about the services Action For Elder Abuse offers in Sussex here. You can also read the articles they have specially written for Age Space here.

Brighton & Hove Food Partnership

Brighton & Hove Food Partnership is a not for profit organisation that aims to improve the lives of all local people through food, including older people. They deliver a range of projects which help Brighton’s community to live healthier lives and alleviate food poverty.

They do this through running community gardens and weight management programmes. Workshops and classes are also organised that encourage cooking for fun and many more services. These services might be what your relative needs to help keep themselves healthy and sociable.

Visit the Brighton & Hove Food Partnership website here to find out more. You can also read the articles they have specially written for Age Space here.

Here are some other charities whose services you may find useful: