Agenda and minutes

Minutes of the Meeting held on 2^nd December, 2013 (previously circulated). 

The Minutes of the meeting held on 2^nd December 2013 were signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Representatives from the following agencies have been invited to attend :

Lancaster City Council

Age UK

Help Direct

Older People’s Forum

County Council - Adult Social Care

County Council - Public Health

Lancashire Police

Lancashire Fire and Rescue

Alzheimer’s Society

NHS Morecambe Bay Hospital Trust

The Vice-Chairman welcomed the representatives from the various agencies present and the City Council’s Older People’s Champion to the meeting.

Donna Studholme, Help Direct Manager, gave a presentation on the ageing population highlighting the high numbers of older people in the wards of Bare and Torrisholme in Morecambe. The Committee was advised that Help Direct visited people in their homes who were reported to them as socially isolated to signpost them to help.

Concern was raised over the proposed cuts to subsidised evening bus services particularly the services to the rural areas. It was suggested that this would cause further isolation to older people in these areas.

The Vice-Chairman welcomed Diane Armstrong and Karen Wisbech from Age UK to the meeting. Information on the work Age UK undertook in particular, on Social Isolation was presented along with details of the outcomes of the Linking Communities project that had taken place in Carnforth.

Members went on to consider the work undertaken by Age UK to help Dementia sufferers in the district. This included work to assist patients with dementia from Dolphinlee Rehabilitation Centre to link back into their local communities following discharge from the centre.

It was reported that Age UK had begun work in the area to encourage Dementia Friendly Communities. A Lancaster and District Community Forum had been established in September 2013 to implement this and formulate a local Dementia Action Alliance for 2014. Age UK were providing Dementia Friends awareness sessions to local groups and businesses to promote Dementia Friendly Communities.

The Committee asked a number of questions relating to funding cuts, Dolphinlee centre, Dementia Friends and the assisted bins list.

The Vice-Chairman invited other agencies present at the meeting to give an overview of their work with social isolation and dementia.

The Chief Officer (Health and Housing) advised that the City Council had responsibility for a number of sheltered housing schemes and an Older People’s Housing Strategy was to be produced this year.

The Committee discussed the Dementia Friends training and felt it should be introduced across the City Council.

It was proposed by Councillor June Ashworth and seconded by Councillor Ian Pattison :

(1)             That the Ward Councillors for Bare and Torrisholme and the Older People’s Champion take part in a ‘Dementia Friendly’ pilot to promote dementia and social isolation in the two wards.

(2)             That the relevant Ward Councillors and the Older People’s Champion be requested to attend a dementia awareness session to become 'Dementia Friends'.

(3)             That Lancaster City Council considers becoming a Dementia Friendly Organisation.

(4)             That an update be provided to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in 6 months to evaluate the pilot.

(5)             That the City Council’s partners be encouraged to advise Help Direct/Age UK of any socially isolated older people they come across.

(6)        That the City Council investigates whether existing information could be used to enable Help Direct/Age UK to access socially isolated older people.

(7)        That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee request information  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41.