Older People Sub-Group

This group aims to provide a voice for older people and a means of influencing the provision of health and social care in Kensington and Chelsea, so as to ensure high standards of care and services appropriate to older peoples’ needs. During the year LINk, jointly with the Older Residents Forum, organised a consultation event on Age Equality. This was attended by over 100 people and resulted in a number of recommendations for action to the Department of Health, RBKC Social Services and NHS Kensington and Chelsea.

LINk has obtained funding from the Department of Health to train older people as Dignity Champions to conduct peer to peer research on standards of respect, privacy and dignity in local health and social care services. The subgroup identified two issues for initial work:

  • The use of blue trays for patients who need help with feeding in hospital
  • The prevention of elder abuse.

Nine members have now completed initial training as dignity champions. They completed an audit of protected mealtimes in Dignity Champions Chelsea & Westminsterl. We have also assessed two residential care providers on residents’ experience of care and awareness of who to approach with any concerns.

Read our report on Dignity Champions Ellesmere ReportFINAL

Read our report on Dignity Champions Thamesbrook Report

Priorities for 2011 are:

  • Continued work on nutrition and an extension into other community groups
  • Further work by dignity champions on dignity in both residential care and homecare services
  • Hospital discharge
  • Joint working with the Forum on engaging older residents.

The group seeks to reach out to older residents in the Borough through links with voluntary organisations and residents’ fora and through local publicity and events and informal contacts. We are looking for the widest possible participation from older people themselves and those who work with them or care for them.

The Older People’s Sub-group meets every two months. The minutes from the meetings from January 2010 to date can be viewed by clicking on the links below:

March 2010

May 2010

July 2010

September 2010

November 2010

February 2011

March 2011

June 2011

The K&C LINk Dignity Champions Group is open to all K&C residents.  Anyone interested in getting involved should contact K&C LINk staff on 020 8968 7049 or by email at rbkclink@hestia.org

For more information about the work of the Older People Sub-Group or to join this group, please contact the staff team on 020 8967 7049 or by email: rbkclink@hestia.org

Fordetails of the next Older people Sub-Group meeting please  visit our current events page.