Elderly Services Development Project
A large number of local Bangladeshi elderly, disabled and pensioners in Queens Park, Harrow Road, Westbourne Park and Maida Vale are housebound, lonely, extremely frail and experiencing long-term illness. In addition, many of them speak little or no English. They are vulnerable and isolated because of their linguistic problem and cultural difficulties as a result are unable to have access to mainstream services in housing, health and social welfare.
The Westminster City Council (WCC) through a generous grant is supporting QPBA to deliver a range of services to this hard-to-reach client group through our Bangladeshi Elders' Service Development Project. The ESDP is working towards addressing some of the various problems of the local Bangladeshi Elderly people
We provide a crucial and culturally sensitive service to our elderly people, acting as a point of contact and an intermediary with a range of organisations and agencies.
In order to reduce their isolation and reach as many Elderly people as possible, QPBA runs a weekly Luncheon Club for Bengali Elderly, at St Jude's Club. Through the Club, Bangladeshi Elderly people are able to access our:
Advice Session- Our regular advice sessions for elderly people are providing various services/queries such as Housing, Repair, Benefit claim assistance in completing forms etc.
We have disabled and pensioner clients using our service and this has been increasing since the establishment of the Association.
Benefit Surgeries- We facilitate benefit checks for Elderly people in St Jude's club (Elderly Luncheon Club) to see if there are receiving the right Benefit. Everyone who attended more likely receiving the Benefit they should.
Health & Cultural Fair- To make it easier to access our target group, we apply innovative and attractive approaches, hence our Health & Cultural Fair. We have organised a health and cultural fair for elderly people. The programme includes songs, dances, drama stalls, culturally appropriate meals and refreshments.
Home Visits - we also undertake home visits to meet those elderly people who are unable to drop in to our office or the Luncheon Club. We visit them to help with all their queries and support them all the way through.
Housing Specialist Advice and Support - This service is used by few of the Elderly people having problem with Housing or any other queries relating to Housing. We have Housing Solicitor to run this session every fortnight Wednesday 10.00am to 12.00pm. There will also be a Bengali interpreter.
Summer Trips and Activities - as the weather gets warmer, we strive to reduce isolation and increase physical activities of Elderly people. Brighton is a popular destination for summer trips and each year up to 20 elderly people per fortnight join in a trip to the seaside.