Services:

• Older People
• Youth, Children & Families
• Mental Health
• Elder Care Canterbury

New name and new focus for Presbyterian Support services for older people

A future filled with meaning is something we all strive for. Reflecting this, Presbyterian Support Upper South Island, like several other Presbyterian Support regions, has adopted a new name for its services for older people – Enliven.

“The focus is on positive ageing,” says Chief Executive Officer Vaughan Milner. “We’ll still be offering community services like day activity programmes, social work, falls prevention and day programmes for people with memory loss. We will also be introducing new services to suit the needs of the community, such as HomeLink, which will provide older people with more individually-tailored support to remain in their own homes for longer and to achieve other goals that are important to them.”

HomeLink is an innovative home-based service dedicated to making a difference to people’s lives through individually designed programmes which target a quality of

life we all will value in our later years. It focuses on sustaining or restoring the abilities and interests of clients in their daily life, both at home and in the community.

“When frail older people wish to remain living in their own home, they may need support to ensure their health and wellbeing are not compromised, but they also need to be able to participate to their fullest ability in decisions about their own lives,” says HomeLink project manager Ruth Buhrkuhl. “Our service seeks to build on the individual person’s strengths and interests, with support options to meet their particular objectives in a way that promotes their independence, self reliance and quality of life, and enables them to remain part of their community.”

She sees this focus on the older person and their wellness as a key element of the service. “It is goal-oriented, co-ordinated and responsive to needs. Where appropriate, it also considers the needs of the family, whanau and carers. It also ensures that there is information sharing and a smooth transition between services,” she says.

The way in which support services are offered to older people is a key component of their quality of life. “HomeLink is a personalised service. How we support a client is decided between the client and our co-ordinator. Their family or spouse or carer can also be involved, and we will not take over what other people are doing to help.”

Support can range from ensuring people get access to relevant health and welfare agencies to enabling them to continue with interests or return to activities they enjoy.

HomeLink has teams of qualified health professionals and community support workers in Christchurch, Ashburton and Rangiora. The service is available to people over 65 years who have been assessed as needing the service, and they and their family or carer agree it would be helpful. It is being funded by the Canterbury District Health Board.

Enliven has also started a new day activity programme for older people in Christchurch. Island. Called Totara Club, it provides a place for people who are socially isolated or in need of support to meet together, share a meal, and enjoy entertainment and a range of activities with the assistance of experienced staff and volunteers. The programme is housed adjacent to, but separate from, Enliven’s Harakeke Club for people with memory loss, in the former premises of the Harakeke Home at 6 Harakeke Street.

The programme is being run under contract to the Canterbury District Health Board. “There’s a need in the community for a day activity programme of this kind and Presbyterian Support has wide experience in the field, with similar programmes running in Rangiora, Nelson and Blenheim,” says Vaughan Milner.

Harakeke Club is the only stand-alone facility of its kind in Christchurch, and demand is such that a second Harakeke Club is currently being built as part of Presbyterian Support’s new service centre in Linwood, which is due to open later this year.

Presbyterian Support also provides Family Works services for families and children.

“We offer social services where they are most needed by tackling unmet needs in the community,” says Vaughan Milner. “Our services are available to everyone, whatever their background or beliefs. We work to increase intergenerational connections and support families to function well, with particular concern for vulnerable young and frail older people.”

Services for young and old include counselling, group learning, social work support and advocacy. Mentoring enables older people to befriend and support families and children. Day care, home support and falls prevention assist older people in the community.

“We could not carry on this work without the support of our donors,” Vaughan Milner says. “A bequest in your will to Presbyterian Support Upper South Island is a significant and lasting way you can make a difference: it is the gift that keeps on giving, forever ...”