Minister to attend official opening of new venue for Southampton Living Well

Wednesday 11 July 2019, sees the official launch of the newest location for the innovative Southampton Living Well service.

Social Care in Action, a local charity working to support people to live independent lives across the south of England, has joined forces with Age UK Southampton to develop and run the service commissioned by Southampton City Council.

Following a campaign in the local area earlier this year we are delighted to welcome invited guests to Southampton Living Well Chamberlayne, based in Chamberlayne Leisure Centre, run by Active Nation, a fellow charity in Southampton.

Our official opening will see us welcome Caroline Dinenage, Minister of State for Care and MP for Gosport, along for the day. We will also be bringing together many of the people who have been supported by the Southampton Living Well service for the past year, along with other local community groups and organisations that run sessions as part of the service and members of Southampton City Council who commissioned the service.

There will be several activity zones demonstrating our innovative offer for the older people we support, including intergenerational music therapy, sensory therapies, animal therapies and an activity zone including trampolining.

Our guests will be have the opportunity to talk to some of the people who regularly attend Southampton Living Well activity sessions across our city.

Southampton Living Well launched in April 2018 as a new offer for older people in our city. Historically, support for older people has been via a traditional day centre model, with a number of centres across Southampton offering shelter, lunches and low key activities for the city’s older population. This new service offers innovative activity sessions and day trips with proven benefits to people living with dementia and other conditions associated with old age. The more holistic approach to supporting people in later life has the ultimate aim of increasing health and wellbeing and reducing loneliness and isolation.

We know that the older population across the city is growing rapidly, people are living for longer, with more complex health needs and less access to traditional models of family support and care. We know that by focusing on reducing loneliness, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and enjoying activities that are of interest to the individual, people are able to stay living independently in their communities for longer. Which is what people tell us they want.

Southampton Living Well brings together community organisations from across our city, working together to make life more meaningful and relevant to our older population. We have a range of activities and groups on offer, from day trips to local places of interest such as beaches and cafes, to intergenerational music sessions with local pre-school children. We also offer a range of exercise options to maintain health for as long as possible, from seated exercise for those with mobility problems to gentle trampolining for our more adventurous visitors, and a range of other activities in between.

Dan Freshwater, CEO of Social Care in Action said: ‘We are proud to have been at the forefront of this new service for the people of Southampton. Our ageing population, who are living longer and with more complex health needs than ever before, deserve to benefit from the latest research and therapies out there in order to maintain their chosen lifestyle. It is through the hard work and determination and experience of staff that we have been able to transform the day centre model to one offering proven therapies, activities and health support, keeping people in their communities.’

Peter Bennie, Chief Officer of Age UK Southampton said: ‘Over the past year we have seen many organisations come together across our city to focus on each individual and what best inspires and suits them. Our experience in listening to what older people want, and our connections across the city have allowed us to play a pivotal role in facilitating and delivering Southampton Living Well’.

If you are interested in finding out more about Southampton Living Well or coming along to find out for yourself please contact Matthew Gwynn on 023 8051 6021 or email hello@southamptonlivingwell.org.uk