1 The GOLD Group Growing Older

2 Getting together Started in 1998 to help the GOLD programme. Originally 9 members over 50 & 3 supporters Made a play: Too Old to Boogie! Made the GOLD video Funded ended in 2002 but people wanted to stay in touch

3 What happened next? The group continued Meet at least once a month Respond lets us meet in their offices At times money from Awards for All and paid work. New plays Keep in Touch and Forget me not The Downs Syndrome Association paid for a new DVD on dementia

4 We are the same people but… Tim and Corrine died. We went to their funerals Sarah, a supporter, moved to Yorkshire Johns sister Sylvia joined the group after her husband died Edna doesnt come as she had a stroke and has dementia. She has lived in a nursing home for over seven years

5 Today Say who we are Talk about some of the things that have happened as we have got older Use the outcomes from the toolkit Make you think about if we have had the right support Time for questions

6 Michael and Sylvia Brookstein Married in 2002 Share a flat together which has stairs Supported by HAIL since 2002 Look after own money with help from staff They see Sylvias sister

7 Betty Steingold Has lived in her own flat for many years Supported by HILT all that time ( now part of Advance) Staff come in twice a day Goes to a Jewish day centre five days a week David helps Betty with her money (appointee) Betty sometimes sees her family

8 Sylvia and John Phillips Live together in a council flat Moved there because John wanted a garden It has three steps to get into Have a cleaner once a week Sylvia looks after their money Sometimes she borrows money to pay for things

9 Roger Brooksby Shares a house with two other people Moved there because it was getting difficult to get up the stairs in the last house Has been supported by Choice Support for a long time Staff in the house most of the time Roger doesnt have any family. Has good friends: Jane and June

10 Pat Charlesworth Lives in her own flat Drives No help at home Looks after her own money Has some family and friends

11 David Thompson Lives in a flat with his civil partner Has a cleaner Now works as a safeguarding adult nurse for Hounslow and Richmond Community Healthcare NHS Trust

12 Noelle Blackman Lives in a house with her husband Would like a cleaner CEO of Respond

13 I am supported by people who see the real me and know me well ? Betty has a key worker called Ilona Before that it was Gabrielle They have helped Betty to stay in her own flat They know who Bettys friends are They help her write cards and buy presents They told David when they were worried about things

14 I am supported by people who see the real me and know me well ? Edna lives in a NHS nursing home Staff care about her and she smiles when one of them calls her Some of her money is used for someone to spend time with her twice a week. Nicola has done this for five years. They go out when the weather is good. The staff struggle to give her a bath every week. They also dont think she should get up every day

15 I am supported by people who see the real me and know me well ? Pat asked for help at home Had an assessment They decided she didnt need any help Doesnt have a social worker Gets help from friends

16 I am involved in making the important decisions in my life? Michael and Sylvia had money worries Social services dont think they need an appointee Staff have helped with budgeting Sometimes run out of money over the weekend Now need to be careful about having too much money in the bank Would like a holiday

17 I am involved in making the important decisions in my life? Roger looks after his own money. Choice Support says he doesnt need an appointee Staff go with him to the bank to take money out and pay bills Roger made a film about this (Rogers mental capacity assessment, SCIE SCTV) Roger has been told he needs to spend money so he wont lose his benefits Roger is on a personal budget. Not sure what difference it makes

18 My health is maintained as I grow older? Michael was unwell The staff didnt spot it GOLD group worried when we went away together. Michael then got the help of a learning disability nurse Medication now better and have a box to help remember when to take tablets

19 My health is maintained as I grow older? John has cholesterol so has to be careful what he eats Doesnt like blood tests but his sister helps New glasses are expensive so doesnt have the right ones Sylvia helps with going to the doctors

20 I feel safe and secure in my own home? Betty phoned the police when people rang her door bell Social services turned up one evening to talk to Betty about moving. They didnt let her support workers know about this. It was upsetting John does not know what would happen if Sylvia had to go into hospital

21 I am still doing the activities that are important to me, and trying new things if I want to ? Roger enjoys being busy with activities Horse-riding, swimming, pop in, bible study, Was a volunteer at the Olympics Used to go to City Lit Going to Spain this week

22 I am still doing the activities that are important to me, and trying new things if I want to ? Sylvia and Michael have been in band for 20 years. This is organised by Andy Sylvia has volunteered at the Royal Free Hospital Library for 10 years On Wednesdays she goes to different places in London with her support workers

23 I am still in contact with the people who are important to me? Edna was living in her own flat when she joined the GOLD group She had four moves because of her health The only people who visit her are the GOLD group It can be hard to visit her because she has changed so much. She cant talk now.

24 I am well supported when the people who are important to me move away or die John was very close to Corrine She got excellent support from the Camden Society He went to the funeral and also help scatter her ashes He has kept some of her things

25 I am well supported when the people who are important to me move away or die? Michael lost contact with his father after he got dementia and moved to a nursing home Respond helped Michael find his father and to visit him with Sylvia The home and respond supported Michael when his father died Michaels father helped set up the Camden Society HAIL or social services didnt know all this was happening

26 I can celebrate my life and am coming to terms with my approaching end of life Rogers didnt get good support for his 60 th birthday For Rogers 68 th birthday he took everyone in the GOLD group out for a meal

27 I can celebrate my life and am coming to terms with my approaching end of life Pat has made a will Pat has also said what she wants to happen when she dies

28 What we have learnt Helping to keep friendships is very important. It takes a lot of time Support providers need to know who is important. This can help people keep friends but also stop bad things happening. Bettys service has been the best for this. Social services dont know people and have done very little to help unless made to.

29 What we have learnt Services arent honest about who is making decisions. This is especially for personal budgets and money Services are not helping people make plans for the future It is hard to talk about things that have been lost. Sometimes it is good to do this