Supporting our most vulnerable tenants

How we are supporting our most vulnerable tenants during the pandemic

This past 2 years has seen a big difference to our services. In our goConnect Project, we went from providing 13 classes/activities per week with an average of 150 participants per week, to everything closing down due to lockdown. We slowly introduced classes when we could to help alleviate loneliness and anxiety.

During the pandemic our priority was identifying and contacting vulnerable tenants (aged over 60; mental health: disabilities; addictions; shielding; living alone) to ensure they were able to survive and we introduced services to help them - The Food Train (to deliver food), Greater Pollok Services (food, shopping and prescriptions), perscription deliveries (from various chemists), Good Morning Service (for Befriending for over 60’s) etc.

Snap shot of the support we provided:

1,681 initial phonecalls to tenants, their family members & support staff to check on their welfare. over time contact was made with all tenants.
697 regular phonecalls to elderly or vulnerable tenants; 245 Very Vulnerable tenants called once a month; 41 extremely vulnerable tenants called once a week to give a welfare phone call and check that they were all ok. All were provided with leaflets with a list of telephone numbers and contacts for emergencies.
236 referrals to support agencies - Mental health services; social care direct; family support; food services etc.
Weekly meals programme was set up with Urban Roots, Aberlour and Nobel Arts In Nitshill and helped deliver weekly freshly cooked meals to 171 tenants (128 in Arden, 21 in Darnley and and 22 in Pollok). Meals in Darnley and Pollok were delivered by Greater Pollok Services.
Referrals for Mental Health Support for tenants including classes from SAMH and Lifelink via Zoom. We focused on providing new services to help improve mental health within our community: Arden Mental Health Support Group – now moving towards becoming a Suicide Safer Community; Befrienders Service (including a Polish Speaking Befriender)