Agenda item

n respect of the Adult Social Care and Services Scrutiny Panel's 2018 review of Reducing Loneliness and/ or social isolation in Later life- to consider an update from the Director of Adult Social Care and Health Integration on the progress made with the implementation of the agreed recommendations/actions.

The Panel has also requested an update in relation to how Covid-19 has impacted on social isolation and steps being taken to address this.

In 2018, the Panel undertook a review into Reducing Loneliness and/ or social isolation in Later life. Part of the evidence, the Panel heard from Michelle Dawson, Manager of Aging Better Middlesbrough who support older people in this field. The Panel had received an updated action plan detailing updates on the recommendations and also asked for information relating to supporting older people curing Covid-19

Covid recovery
In terms of covid recovery, the Director outlined the work that TRUV are currently undertaking of how we respond to the mental health issues over the next 5 years. Covid 19 will have touched many peoples' lives through either personal or personal capacity.

The Director outlined that they have been the impact of Covid 19 in terms of service users restriction of mobility, difficult to socialise with family and friends, ability to access services e.g. day care and difficulty of visiting loved ones in care homes.

It outlined as the Country enter the second lock down, most of the day care centres have remained open in a covid safe way. In terms of visiting care homes, there is a balance of Individual human rights and the duty to protect the collective and this will always be a fought decision to take.
The Director stated that the Director of Public Health and the Director of Social Care and Health Integration have to make a decision on visiting due to the number of infection rates in the region and it was decided to restrict visiting to essential only with the caveat of end of life.
The Panel learnt that the Social infection, protection and control grant fund was introduced to help care homes with the infection of Covid. In Middlesbrough, some of this money was put into a grant fund whereby care homes could bid for money to introduce visiting pods, or additional outdoor hand washing and it hoped that this would facilitate visiting. However with the new lockdown, the guidance issued means some of the pods do not meet the requirements, however the Council is working on a home by home basis to see if they can facilitate this, however saving lives in paramount and safety will always be put first.

The ABM Manager also added that in terms of isolation and loneliness all aspects are linked and need to be interlinked e.g. not being able to see their friends, family, catching covid and we shouldn't talk about one without the other.

A Board member queried whether there was support in place for home workers or are experiencing isolation. In response, the Manager advised that ABM hadn't done any specific work, as they generally work with those who have complex needs and who have been out of work for long periods and never been in steady work. But she hopes that organisations would offer services to support their workers during this period.

In terms of the recommendations, a panel member raised that the briefing session on loneliness and isolation should be repeated to ensure all members were aware of the issues. The Democratic services officer would arrange this in due course.

The Manager also outlined that in terms of isolation during Covid, there was evidence that this was displaying in young people. A panel member also added that this issue should be raised with the Children and Young people's care scrutiny panel for consideration.
 

AGREED-
That the information contained in the updated action plan be noted.
That a further member briefing on loneliness and isolation be arranged.