We provide our services to vulnerable, predominately older people living in Totnes and its surrounding areas.
To use our services, you must be registered with either the Leatside or Catherine House doctors’ surgeries and live within our area of coverage.
Totnes Caring has fully trained staff and volunteers who are personable, insured and DBS checked.
Just some of the services we offer
| Transport | Our volunteer drivers transport clients to and from hospital, doctors’ surgeries, dentists, opticians and other places, such as our Memory Cafe and Lunch Club. |
| Shopping | You can provide a shopping list for volunteers to collect for you. These can be ‘one-off’ trips – for example, stocking up on basic foods following discharge from hospital, or they can be a regular thing. Whatever you need. |
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Befriending
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You will be carefully matched with a befriending volunteer who you will see up to six times. The aim is to offer a knowledgeable companion who can do as little or as much with you in order to empower you and afford you a sense of independence. They can also signpost activities and the help that is available should you need it. |
| Form Filling | We have volunteers who are trained to help clients to complete Attendance Allowance claim forms. For other benefit forms we direct clients to other more relevant services. Volunteers are able to help with paperwork, sorting bills, or responding to important letters. We can also help to set up Direct Debits or liaise with banks etc. on your behalf. |
| Lunch Club |
Our popular Lunch Club is currently held on a Monday. We are usually able to transport you to our Lunch Club, either in car with a volunteer driver or in our minibus, if required. (Please remember to make a donation, a collecting tin is always on board.) The Lunch Club meets at the Social Club – 12.00 p.m. to 2.00 p.m. We are also able to deliver lunches to clients and this service is available to clients every day of the week. |
| Carers Clubs | We have two groups which meet monthly. The details for these can be found under Lunch Clubs and Dementia; one is for family carers and the other is a support group for those who have recently stopped caring, either because the person they cared for has passed away or gone into residential care. The groups meet at Quayside and are run by Maggie Dennis, please call us for more details. |
| Memory Café |
People with memory problems and their carers are very welcome at our Memory Café. Please contact Totnes Caring if you need transport. |
| Home Help Service | Our Home Help service is the only service we charge for (at a rate of £25 per hour, to cover the cost of the Home Help staff). Some of the services we offer include: housework, (including laundry), shopping and paying bills. Liz Loader is the Home Help Coordinator and her responsibility is managing the Home Help Service, matching clients and Home Help staff together. |
| Emergency Lifeline |
A fast and easy way of getting in contact with an emergency control centre – at the press of a button. Connected to your telephone line, this enables you to maintain an independent lifestyle, whilst bringing peace of mind to carers and relatives. If you have a fall or need to summon assistance but cannot get to the telephone, just press the button on your wrist band or necklace pendant. This will alert the control centre that you need help and they will take the appropriate steps to raise the alarm. For further up to date information on Emergency Alarm Providers, or assistance with installation, please contact us on 01803 865684. |
| Helpful Staff and Volunteers | Our staff and volunteers are fully trained, DBS checked and there to provide high-quality individual support – and company when needed. |
| Computers, iPads and Mobile Phones |
Are you having problems or difficulty setting up, or using your computer or mobile device? We can help with a ‘get you going again‘ visit to help you with your computer, iPad, printer or mobile phone. |