Sheffield independent living centre will help people to stay in their homes

Occupational therapy facilities on the Manor are being redeveloped to create the independent living centre and training facilities for workforce development, a meeting of Sheffield City Council’s adult health and social care policy committee (March 20) heard.

They got an update about independent living services from Kelly Siddons, the council’s assistant director for living and ageing well.An assessment clinic opening in May will provide people with low-level equipment, minor adaptations and some non-complex major adaptations.

A report to the committee said: “Operating five days per week, this will enable more people to be seen in an accessible setting, offering an independent living approach to meeting the person’s needs sooner.”

The City Care Alarm Service, which has a ‘Good’ rating from the Care Quality Commission, supports around 8,107 people annually, said the report. It added: “The service continues to have a no wait position with people being offered supported within one week of referral.”

The alarm service has worked with Yorkshire Ambulance Service on emergency response and falls prevention, the committee heard. The service provides a non-urgent but rapid response to people who have fallen in their own homes and require assistance, including fallers who are not injured.

Get a bespoke headline round-up, plus breaking updates, with The Star’s free emails

New technology-enabled care can also help people to live safely in their homes, the committee heard.

From June 3, a new care and well-being service will replace current home care services. Service staff and the 14 outside providers of devices will work with users, carers and families to look at what new technology could help them.

This will include devices that can help people to remain as independent as possible in their own homes, to take part more fully in community life and assistive equipment and devices.

Training to staff is being provided by Sheffield Hallam University.

Coun Will Sapwell asked: “How do we make sure nobody is left behind? Not everybody has a smart phone.”

Ms Siddons said that information is not just available online. She said that staff have early conversations to find out users’ levels of knowledge about technology as part of their assessments.

Committee chair Coun Angela Argenzio asked how people from different communities will be consulted, including where there are language barriers. Ms Siddons said there is better access to interpreters but they are also working alongside families and carers to understand the challenges.

To help ensure equal access to equipment and adaptations, Sheffield’s principal occupational therapist is to lead a working group with people with a disability and carers to ensure that criteria for eligibility are correct, the committee heard.

The working group will also seek to ensure that staff take a personalised approach that centres on promoting independence.

The report said: “The ongoing development of occupational therapy and provision of equipment and adaptations are key in enabling the people of Sheffield to be as independent as possible and less reliant on formal services.

“Over the past two years we have reduced waits from a baseline of 2,900 people waiting for over eight months to a current position of just over 1,100 people waiting for an assessment. This is despite a 102% increase in demand as set out to the committee in November 2023.

“The service has in the last year, prescribed and provided 117,187 pieces of equipment.”