Pilot scheme suggests Reablement services should have a greater role within community life

Staff behind an Essex County Council reablement programme believe more services should be tailored towards transition, after a successful pilot scheme achieved a reduction in the number of adults moving from hospital beds into long-term care.

Returning to familiar home life can produce a variety of challenges for adults who have experienced illness, accident or disability, but the pilot’s success has resulted in further support from Essex County Council for reablement projects. New contracts have now been signed for four dedicated units that will help adults to practice independent living skills post-hospital and allow for unnecessary moves into care homes to be avoided.

Linda Flynn, head of commissioning vulnerable people, explains: “These contracts mean that we can give more individuals than ever before across Essex the opportunity to have a short stay in a residential reablement setting to enable them to retain or regain skills for independent living.

“The contracts also mean that individuals will not need to make life changing decisions from a hospital bed or because of an urgent situation in the community. The units will provide a safe place where they can achieve their full potential and make informed choices about their future. This means more people having the opportunity to return home.”

The four new units will help an estimated 800 people a year in the county and, so optimistic is the council in the results, that discussions are under way to secure a fifth provider.

Essex Cares Ltd, in partnership with Runwood Homes, are running three of the units, with the fourth being run by Anglian Community Enterprise. Transitional support ranges from managing medications and preparing meals, to personal care, shopping and laundry.