Moorland Community Caring is part of the Torbay and South Devon Partnership – one of 5 charities delivering NHS Wellbeing Programmes. We have two part-time Wellbeing Co-ordinators covering Ashburton, Buckfastleigh and Bovey Tracey. They are very busy!
Often, people need someone to talk to, to explore what might improve their daily life. This may mean learning how to use IT, go for a regular walk or swim, have someone phone weekly for a check-in and chat; it might mean exploring clubs or joining a social gathering such as Moor Social. Getting out and about can be very daunting to someone who is feeling isolated, so having someone to lend encouragement and even accompany them to a meeting or an event for the first few times is what may break their pattern of isolation. The intervention of a Wellbeing Co-ordinator may also serve to prevent problems escalating, possibly preventing an eventual hospital admission.
The programme is targeted at people who are aged 50 and above, living with one or more chronic illness and who may be feeling lonely and socially isolated. People may be referred to the service by GPs, Social Prescribers, health and social care providers and they may also self-refer.
A personalised 12-week programme is designed to set and achieve goals, using a variety of tools, to help a person’s wellbeing. Helping to regain confidence after a bereavement, a medical procedure, a hospital stay or perhaps helping to connect with others are examples of what we offer support with. So too is helping to gain support with IT, budgeting or perhaps having some help with shopping. A busy NHS often results in people not fully understanding or feeling they need to talk things through. Our Wellbeing Co-ordinators are there to listen, to be creative with ideas and help navigate solutions.
The aim is to create a space where a person can hear their own voice.
We are proud of the work that we do and extremely proud of our Volunteers who help us.
The NHS is proficient at providing medical care when it is needed, but focusing on prevention or re-admission is where the Wellbeing Programme comes into its own. Working alongside GPs, Social Prescribers, District Nurses, Social Care, Older People’s Mental Health teams, Physiotherapists, Dieticians and other voluntary sector partners, we can support a person in a non-clinical way and find routes to helping a person live well.
The Wellbeing Partnership, is a vibrant voluntary collaboration with the statutory sector working towards joint goals to enhance the lives of people in South Devon.