Adopt a care home
Learning for the Fourth Age’s Adopt a Care Home scheme developed in October 2008. The basic premise is that there are different people who want to support the L4A concept and are able to fund it or able to donate time, but not both. As a result, L4A is attempting to team people up so that together, we can all give more back to frail, elderly people who live in care home settings.
Did you have a positive experience of a particular care home and want to give something back?
Do you want to improve the facilities available in care homes, or in one specifically?
Do you want yourself or your team to be a part of a change that is taking place in the standards expected of care settings?
Do you want to become involved in a volunteering and community based not for profit scheme that you can see directly benefit some of the individuals who need it most?
Many people have had personal experiences of care homes and want to give something back to improve or support a particular service. This can be in terms of funding or gifted time.
There are also people who have had relatives in care homes and see the need for a personalised learning service, such as L4A. This too can be brought about by gifting time or funding.
Some, but not all, of the groups and individuals that Adopt a Care Home will appeal to are:
- Community, religious, lifelong learning and other groups
- Individuals – who want to give something back in terms of time to a care setting that they themselves or a relative of theirs lived in
- Individuals – who want to fund the scheme in a care home near to them or that they have particular ties to
- Businesses – who, through their corporate social responsibility choose to fund a care home to buy L4A services, or persuade their staff to spend just 2 hours a week volunteering as a learning mentor for L4A, or both.
How does it work?
Different groups and individuals get in contact with the central L4A team to express an interest in adopting a care home at adoptacarehome@L4A.org.uk
We try to pair up those who want to volunteer and those who want to fund the service. Ideally, we would work in care homes near to the volunteers who want to gift their time to furthering the service and benefitting elderly residents.
We do recognise that many people may choose to benefit particular care homes and we will try wherever possible to ensure that this can take place. Please contact us at adoptacarehome@L4A.org.uk for more information.
How much does it cost?
The cost covers volunteers’ expenses, training and enhanced CRB Checks each with a POVA. It also goes towards the cost of the materials and resources that our L4A learning mentors use to deliver the service. It is around £3 a week per resident receiving services. We ask that funders pay for a minimum of 12 weeks for a minimum of half the residents of a care home or 5 residents, if there are fewer than 10 residents in a care home.
Anything else?
We are also particularly interested in groups and individuals that want to hold one off sessions (i.e. card making, interesting talks etc) perform, sing or hold light afternoon parties for groups of elderly people who live in care homes, most of whom would otherwise be alone.
A half day off with a difference? An office party with a difference? Your time can benefit care home residents so much.
Please get in touch with us at enquiries@L4A.org.uk for more information on how you can help on a one off basis.
Get in touch!
For more information, please do not hesitate to contact us via email:
Adopt a care home scheme – adoptacarehome@L4A.org.uk
Write to us at:
L4A, 14 Stoneygate Avenue, Leicester, LE2 3HE
Phone Melissa March on 07545 842315