This is an application to help an award winning community focused programme supporting vulnerable adults facing end of life challenges associated with family caregiving (including spousal co-dependency)

Based in the West Midlands Omega, the National Association for End-of-Life Care improves standards in end of life care. We help caregivers, former caregivers, the bereaved and people near end of life or living with a life-limiting illness to stay connected in later life.

The Chatterbox Action Against Loneliness is a well-established multi-award winning programme working collaboratively in Birmingham, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Solihull, Sandwell, Dudley Telford, and Shropshire. Chatterbox is a telephone service, so can cover the whole of the Birmingham population in a cost-effective way. Our impact monitoring shows consistent improvement after 24 calls. across the four areas we measure: Emotional – 65% Functional – 56% Social – 49% Physical – 29%consist Our priority is to assist caregivers over the age of 75, who also suffer from health problems, poor mobility and social isolation and associated mental health issues that can arise as a result of demanding later life caregiving duties, bereavement and frailty.

8 out of 10 caregivers report feeling isolated (Jo Cox Loneliness Commission with Carers UK), and over 51% of people aged 75 and over live alone (ONS, 2010). Frailty and end-of-life issues prevent our clients from connecting with their families and communities, and accessing face-to-face services. We have helped older family caregivers and bereaved people to gain the confidence to rebuild connections with their friends, family and the local community. A telephone call is often the only human contact someone will have in the day and is a vital service to those in need.

We are committed to helping elderly isolated caregivers in Birmingham and seek a $1,000 micro grant to contribute towards delivery costs of this unique enhanced befriending programme..