This was when I met with the founders of Independent Living Advisers who are business people worried about their parents failing health and aware of the need for increased co-ordinated support. This tied in with my own experiences and has given me the opportunity to help offer a holistic service to try and make later life as comfortable and stress free as possible fpr people.
Independent Living Advisers
Cecilia Trueman (néeMackenzie) is an ILA Senior Adviser, “When I left school I applied for nursing and was pleased that I chose to train at a busy London Hospital (St George’s). After completing my training I took a placement on an orthopaedic ward for a year, I saw the opportunity to try out different courses and midwifery appealed and I stayed with that for 10 years until I took a short break to concentrate on my four children whilst they were little.
When I returned to work part time, I chose elderly care. I worked in some local care homes and settled in one locally to my home and stayed for 8 years and in that time I also gained other work experiences part time such as working for a private company, Grace Consulting. Grace gave me the opportunity to review placements, report on care homes and assess and research care options for elderly clients.
Following on from this I worked for a care agency and had the opportunity to set up a branch of the agency from home which I went on to manage for 4 years. During this experience I discovered the frustrations that the elderly encounter struggling to live comfortably in their own home due to failing health and increased vulnerability. As a care agency we provided care but this did not seem to be enough and increasingly I wanted to give more support to enable people to be safe and enjoy their life in their own home.
We want to help people to stay living independently at home. The prospect of moving into a care home can be a huge concern. However, as we get older dealing with life’s day to day challenges gets harder. There is a lot of emphasis on staying healthy, and that’s important, but it’s often the practical things that can be stressful: How can I get to the pharmacy or doctors when I need to? Who can I trust to fix my leaking tap or to look after the garden I can no longer manage? How can I meet new friends so I am not on my own all day? Independent Living Advisers (ILA) share these worries and work with people to put in place everything needed for a safe and enjoyable later life. Many healthcare professionals believe that “home is best” and research backs this up but public sector services are struggling to provide the support needed by our aging population. With the right support, most seniors can stay living independently and safely in their own homes. This is not only what the majority of people want, it is also more cost effective, saving up to £1,000 a week compared with the costs of a care home.
A dedicated adviser, an experienced healthcare professional, is at the centre of the support offered, giving peace of mind that whatever may lie ahead there is someone on their side. In line with our belief that “prevention is better than cure” our At Home service provides an ongoing relationship and support from a dedicated adviser. After a home visit to discuss concerns and assess needs, an adviser will prepare a personalised plan, designed to make day to day life comfortable and more manageable.
Independent Living Advisers also offer a LifeLine which is for use in times of a crisis. We visit people in hospital and at home, to draw up and agree a plan of action to put in place everything required to ensure a safe and speedy homecoming. ILA advisers are healthcare professionals who know the health system, how to access help and what to do to get people safely back home as quickly as possible.
Our holistic approach means we don’t focus purely on our clients’ health needs. We can put them in touch with trusted local providers to help with everything from Physiotherapy to finding a reliable tradesman, or we can deal with nuisance calls or getting medication delivered. Independent Living Advisers ‘At Home’ helps ensure the elderly get the best from their later life, saving them time and money and allowing them and their family to get on with enjoying life, knowing that they have a dedicated healthcare professional on their side.
CeciliaTrueman(néeMackenzie, Class of 1982) OC
At the moment, this service is operating in West Kent and some of West and East Sussex around the working base in Edenbridge. If you wish to discuss it further please contact
www.ILA.life or call on 01892 210100.
Thérèse Vanier - Pioneer of L’Arche
Thérèse Vanier (Class of 1939) was the co‐founder of the first L’Arche community in the UK, the organisation of communities for people with learning disabilities founded in France by her brother Jean. Thérèse was a distinguished doctor and did more than anyone to bring the principles and practice of palliative medicine to the French‐speaking world. Thérèse was deeply involved in work for greater ecumenism among Christian churches and understanding between different faiths.
Thérèse died on the 16th June 2014 and L’Arche commissioned a book to be written about her. This has been undertaken by her friend, Ann Shearer, a Jungian analyst and writer, who knew Thérèse for many years. This biography draws on the memories of nearly 50 people who knew her to offer a tribute to Thérèse and a critical assessment of her lasting legacy in the three areas of her work. For any Old Cornelians wishing to purchase the book, please order at
www.dltbooks.comquoting the code TV2016 which is valid until October 1st and offers a 30% discount.
The Old Cornelian SUMMER 2016 23
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