Aged 60+? Your city needs your views to help shape future service provision

News
13/09/2021

SOUTHAMPTON’s pensionable population have until September 17 to have their say on what services and activities they would like to see in the city in the future (2021).


Southampton City Council has tasked Southampton Living Well (SLW), a partnership between the charities Social Care in Action (SCiA) and Age UK Southampton (AUKS), to ask those aged 60+ to help shape provision.


Alison Fisher, SLW’s Day Opportunities Manager, who is helping co-ordinate the survey, says:

“We want as many people as possible in the 60 and above age group to fill in our brief questionnaire, so we can find out what services and activities they would like us to provide.

“It’s really important post-pandemic that we offer the right sort of provision to help people who may now be lacking confidence and are anxious about doing things outside the home or may now be feeling isolated and lonely and need socialisation for their physical and mental wellbeing.

“We want to know what sort of things people would like to do, so they can stay active and involved within their communities, which is good for everyone.”


SLW is commissioned by the Council to deliver its service in partnership with SCiA and AUKS, which provides a range of services for older people and their carers.


Alison adds:

“We’ve devised a survey that we want as many people as possible to fill in. It is available via our Facebook and LinkedIn social media platforms, as well as online at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/M8J68XF and in paper form across the city too.

“We’re also asking GPs’ surgeries, cafés, restaurants, supermarkets, leisure venues and garden centres to display our posters, which includes a QR code for people to scan to access the survey online. It is anonymous to do and should only take a few minutes to complete.

“We want to spread the message far and wide and we would like to ask anyone who can help with popping up a poster to get in touch too. Anyone who isn’t internet orientated can fill in a paper copy and we’re inviting them to get in touch with us, so we can send one out to them.

“We have until September 17 to gather our responses and after this we will be holding focus groups across the city to discuss our findings.”


Details of where you can find and fill in a paper copy are on the SCiA website, or you can call SLW on 02380 516 024 to be sent a paper copy to fill in with a SAE to post back.


For further details, please visit www.sciagroup.co.uk.