Broomhouse Befriending Service
Elderly Befriending Leaflet
The Broomhouse Befriending Service supports elderly frail people and elderly people with dementia in their own homes. The service provides a one-hour visiting service once a week on a regular basis and is available to people who live in the south-west of Edinburgh.
Project Aims
The Broomhouse Befriending Service aims to:
- Provide a one-hour visiting service once a week on a regular basis to 20 elderly frail people and people with dementia in their own home
- Provide support on a one-to-one basis
- Reduce isolation
- Increase social contact
- Help retain reading skills
- Give respite to carers
- Recruit, select and train 20 volunteers to visit clients in their own homes
- Provide support and supervision to all volunteers
- Network with other agencies and work towards improving clients' quality of life
Why and How Did the Project Come About?
In May 1996 Broomhouse Centre Manager Marie Anderson commissioned a Needs Assessment of elderly people in the Broomhouse and surrounding area. The research project was named "You Can't Knit a Family". The research provided evidence that many of our elderly people felt isolated and lonely. There were many issues from the research that the Broomhouse Centre could not address but the issues of isolation could be tackled.
In April 1997 the Centre received a small grant from The City of Edinburgh Council Regeneration Fund. A part-time Project Manager was appointed for 10 hours per week and a pilot scheme was set up to recruit and train 8 volunteers to visit 8 clients in and around the Broomhouse area.
The success of the pilot scheme led to referrals flowing in from Health and Social Care agencies, Day Centres, Day Hospitals, Churches, Carers and Self-Referrals identifying clients in need of the service.
Over the years many clients have benefited from their visits. Having a befriender has helped clients to reduce isolation and increase their social contact. Befriending can have a very positive effect on health and self-confidence. Having a befriender taking a regular interest in a client can therefore be a very significant quality of life improvement.
What Our Clients Say
Every year evaluation forms are sent out to clients and their carers asking for their comments on the service. Comments include:
"I look forward to my weekly visits from my befriender"
"The Service could not be any better"
"It is good to have a male befriender as I am housebound and we both enjoy talking about sport"
"I love having someone to visit as most of my friends have passed away or cannot manage the stair"
"The Service is wonderful, it has given my Mum something to look forward to."
Who We Network With
We network with the following organisations:
Befriending Network Scotland
Alzheimer Scotland - Action on Dementia
Resource/Referral Group South West Edinburgh - meeting on the first Wednesday of each month.
Contacting Us
We have received funding from several funders and Trusts since 1997, allowing us to develop the Project to meet the aims above for a greater number of clients.
If you would like to become a volunteer with the Broomhouse Befriending Service for the Elderly or would like more information please contact the Project Manager, Phyllis McFarlane, on 0131 455 7731 or email elderlybefriending@broomhousecentre.org.uk.