The Uplands Care Service

AT THE well attended Uplands Care Service, AGM held on June 3, 2015, the Chairman reported that the Service, which opened in 1998, continues to provide community based day care for elderly and disabled people.

He said that there is a growing recognition in the wider community that dementia need not be feared and that there is no need to stigmatise or segregate those who suffer from it.

Indeed, it is revelatory to see how life enhancing the service and care provided by the Uplands staff has been to those who attend our sessions.

The Treasurer reported that following the period of many changes in the field of Health and Social Care, the financial situation is slowly improving.

Our Guest Speaker Christina Snell the former CEO of Age UK (Gloucestershire) described how Day Care Support is replacing the old Day Care Centres with services more appropriate to older people who are now living longer.

This increased longevity means that dementia in all its forms is now more prevalent and she said that Uplands, with its years of experience is ideally positioned to provide support for both vulnerable older people and their carers.

As Uplands is a community based organisation it benefits from working with partners such as Ring and Ride, the Gloucestershire Minibus Scheme and Northfield House.

Of course, the vital ingredient which holds the whole service together is the dedicated and professional staff whose work is essential to the success of the Service.

The Uplands Care Service has recently been consulted by Gloucestershire Older Persons’ Association who have been commissioned by Gloucestershire County Council to provide a Toolkit of minimal standards for Day Care provision for older people.

Shortly these will be circulated throughout the county to all providers.

For further details of the service see uplandscareservice.org.uk or telephone 01453 758420.