A new initiative that sees 'membership-based village communities' for the over sixties is launching in west London.
Silver Villages aims to combat isolation and empower senior citizens to live independent, confident lives, including those suffering from Dementia. It offers bespoke services from organising and hosting social activities, including weekly coffee mornings, to having a Village Coordinator on standby to assist with difficult household jobs or transportation.
The village concept originates from the United States and was set up over here by Sandy Sidhu. A pilot scheme has been running in Putney since January 2014 and more communities are being set-up in Richmond, Chiswick, Fulham, Kensington and Wimbledon.
Ms Sidhu said: "It is our mission to help the elderly stay connected, to retain their dignity and enjoy life to the full, all at a much lower cost than moving into residential care. As a nation, we have a responsibility to nurture and look after our seniors and help to improve their quality of life including those living with Dementia."
As well as meeting socially with likeminded people, members can gain peace of mind by contacting the Village Coordinator who is on-hand to help with anything from changing a light bulb to accompanying them to a doctor’s appointment. Sidhu says: “Our job is to take the worries out of life. What might be a simple job for us can be an enormous challenge for an elderly person.
There are now nearly 14.7 million people in the UK aged 60 and over in the UK, with more pensioners than there are children under 16 years old. According to the NHS, 50% of all people over the age of 75 are living alone and five million elderly people say the television is their main form of company.
Find out more at - www.silvervillages.co.uk
