Ageing Well in Lewisham - Supporting older people to maintain social links and independence.
We are a charity providing individual support and community and activity groups to people aged 55+ living in Lewisham. We help clients to feel valued members of their community and help them to maintain their independence as long as possible, reducing isolation and loneliness. We focus on individuals who consider themselves housebound, whether due to ill health, lack of confidence, or lack of information about opportunities available. We help them to realise what they can still achieve.
Why the community needs usThe majority of wards in which LCC works sit within the lowest 20% of social and economic deprivation indicators in the UK. This disadvantage, often compounded by age-related problems, has lead to many older people in Lewisham feeling unable to maintain any involvement with social and cultural life. This isolation brings lower confidence in going out which presents a further barrier to recovering a community life. Without organisations such as ours there are many people left completely cut off.
Our impact on the communityWe worked with 134 people this year from 55-97 years old. We run six activity and social groups each week, from health related to creative. We also run outings (the National Gallery, Eastbourne, fruitpicking). We help 97% of our clients to access further services in the community. For many users our work is essential; "when I'm at home I sit and wish someone would ring or knock on the door, it's a lonely life and the group is an outlet, I wouldn't go out if I didn't come here." Vera
