THOUSANDS of elderly Essex residents should be able to stay living independently in their own homes following the launch of a new countywide scheme.
As of July this year a team of specially trained Community Agents will begin work across the county, supporting up to 6,000 elderly and vulnerable people in their homes, to alleviate the pressure on frontline NHS services.
With start-up funding from Essex County Council, the scheme will offer help and advice on mobility issues, practical skills, like cooking and ironing, ways to combat loneliness and issues of personal safety.
It has been made possible through a new voluntary sector partnership made up of the Rural Community Council of Essex, which will lead the project, the British Red Cross, Age UK Essex and Neighbourhood Watch Essex.
Andrew Gardner, chief executive of Age UK Essex, said: "The Community Agents Essex Project is an exciting opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of older people in Essex.
"Age UK Essex provides essential support services for those over the age of 50 and we believe by working with our voluntary sector partners it will enable us to engage with more older residents, support independent living and prevent people from reaching crisis point."
The countywide project draws on the success of the village agents, a smaller rural scheme under which 12 agents work across mid Essex to provide assistance to pensioners by offering advice on everything from welfare benefits, to home safety, and signing up to social groups.
It is an initiative for which 85-year-old Violet Knock has been extremely grateful following her diagnosis of osteoarthritis, a condition which causes joint pain and stiffness.
"I have good days and bad days, but on a bad day I can feel quite poorly, it can be painful," said Violet, who lives with her husband Gordon in Silver End.
"Our village agent Lydia pops in when I'm not sure of something as soon as she can, and has helped us greatly.
"She helped me to register for a pension for my disability, with a notice for the car and a rail on the stairs.
"I'm all for them rolling it out further because there isn't enough help for people at the moment. For ladies who live alone they say it's just so lovely to have someone to talk to."
In contrast to its predecessor campaign, the Community Agents scheme will also offer assistance in urban areas of the county with a stronger focus on health and social care needs in order to lift much of the burden on GPs and hospitals, and to keep residents living in their own homes for longer.
Brian Goodwin, village agents manager, said: "People might present themselves at the doctors and almost just want to have a chat.
"So this is about if someone has underlying issues in their life presenting as health problems, like they may be worried about money.
"We will also have a team of volunteers where if we identify that a person needs to learn a skill such as cooking a meal, or ironing, we will have a team who will spend four to six weeks with that person to help them to perform that task."
Knowing that people are out there to offer support is also of great comfort to 81-year-old Molly Pudney, from Braintree, who has found herself struggling with daily chores since a chronic lung condition left her needing a constant supply of oxygen in 2009.
"I've had such a good life, I've done lots of things and I've really enjoyed it but now I find myself a bit frustrated because I can't do all the things I would like," said Molly, whose village agent Lydia helped her out with small tasks such as finding a gardener.
"I think it's splendid to make this available because there are people situated where family might be nearby but they have to go to work and various things so they don't always want an elderly person on their tail."
Recruitment of over 36 community agents has already begun and it is hoped they will begin initial work by July, before referrals of residents who might benefit can begin in October.
