Services for older people

The Abbey Centre 020 7222 0303

34, Great Smith Street, SW1P 3BU
www.abbeyconference.org
The centre runs a community development programme to help meet the needs of the communities living in south Westminster. It runs a range of activities and events for older people, including the Abbey Monday Club (Lecture and Social), keep fit, yoga and tai chi for the over 50s and Bingo.

ActivAge 020 7976 6354

Glastonbury House, Abbots Manor Estate, Warwick Way, London SW1V 4NT
ActivAGE SW1 is a facility open and accessible to everyone 50 plus in the local area. They aim to have a multiple purpose space based on an open access drop-in style café, with structured activities taking place at certain times. This space will be available for hire by other groups particularly community groups with a focus on older people. The room contains a café style serving area, multiple use stackable tables and chairs, and internet access with computer points.

Adult Education
Westminster Adult Education Service (WAES) 020 7297 7297

Ebury Bridge Centre, Sutherland Street, Victoria SW1V 4LH
www.waes.ac.uk
Westminster Adult Education Service (WAES) is a leading adult education provider offering over 1,100 courses across Westminster at times to suit you and at the level you need. Whether you are following a personal interest or looking to gain valuable skills and knowledge for work, WAES can help you. WAES also offers classes in SW1 designed for older learners, including fitness, ballroom dancing and IT classes in community settings. For more information please visit the WAES website or call 020 7297 7297.

Age Concern Westminster 020 7724 6930

268/272 Edgware Road, W2 1DS
www.acwestminster.org.uk
Age Concern aims to ensure that Westminster residents over 60 years of age are able to maintain a full and independent life. Services include day centres, befriending, advice and support.

Adult Social Care Services (Westminster City Council)  

Westminster City Council is responsible for arranging services for anyone who is 18 or over and has difficulty due to old age, long-term illness or disability, or who has a caring role. For more information about Westminster City Council’s Adult Social Care Services please visit their website.

Alarms Service (Westminster City Council) 020 7286 7412

24 hour hotline or email scsemergencylinkoffice@westminster.gov.uk
for information about home assistance alarms for older people, vulnerable people or people with disabilities.

Contact the Elderly Freephone 0800 716 543

15 Henrietta Street, London, WC2E 8QG
www.contact-the-elderly.org
Contact the Elderly groups organise gatherings for frail, elderly people who live alone. One Sunday afternoon a month, volunteer drivers take elderly people on regular visits to hosts’ homes. Groups of between ten and sixteen people visit a different home every month and spend a few hours in the company of friends, old and new.

Freedom Pass (Westminster City Council) 020 7641 2266

Westminster City Council offers Freedom Passes for travel on public transport for disabled travellers. Anyone over the age of sixty can call for advice, but applications should be made at your local Post Office. Contact Westminster City Council for:

• Advice about Freedom Pass Applications
• Application forms for disabled travellers (over 60s can apply at Post Office)
• Updates on application progress for disabled travellers.

Home Fire Safety Checks by the London Fire Brigade 08000 2844 28

www.london-fire.gov.uk/fire_safety/community_fire_safety/home_fire_safety_checks.asp
London Fire Brigade is offering free home fire safety checks to vulnerable people in London as part of its ‘Be Safe & Sound’ campaign, installing free 10-year smoke alarms where needed.
If you would like a visit or would like to arrange a free home fire safety check on behalf of a member of your family or a friend please check with them first and then contact London Fire Brigade on the freephone number above. Fo rmore information please visit their website.

Home Library Service 020 7641 5405

If you find it difficult to visit your library, Westminster City Council’s Home Library Service may be able to visit you. For more information please visit their website.

Home Meals Service (Westminster City Council) 020 7402 0785

If you have difficult preparing meals, this service can arrange for meals to be delivered to you.

In Deep Community Task Force 020 7834 5204

www.in-deep.org.uk
In Deep Community Task Force works with older people living locally, offering friendship and support through a range of activities and services e.g. breakfast clubs, massage, a manicure and pedicure service, Christmas Hamper Scheme, home and hospital visits.

Libraries 020 7641 1300

www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries
Anyone can join and use Westminster Libraries for free. They offer:

• Many books, CDs, DVDs, language courses and talking books.
• Computer use including internet access and office. To book please call 020 7641 1300
• Many activities for children, especially in the summer holidays
• On-line services, accessible from home - reservations, renewals and free access to subscription websites

On Wednesday mornings 10-12 St James’ Library offers free internet taster sessions for beginners. To book please call 020 7641 1300

Pimlico Library 020 7641 1300

Rampayne Street, SW1V 2PU.
Opening Hours:
Mon - 9.30am - 8pm
Tue, Thurs, Fri - 9.30am - 7pm
Wed - 10am - 7pm
Sat - 9.30am - 5pm
Sun - 1.30pm - 5pm

St. James’s Library 020 7641 1300

62 Victoria Street, SW1E 6QP.
Opening hours
Mon, Tue, Thurs, Fri - 9am - 7pm
Wed - 10am - 7pm
Sat - 9.30am - 1.30pm

Victoria Library 020 7641 1300

160, Buckingham Palace Road, SW1 9UD.
Opening hours
Mon - 9.30am - 8pm
Tue, Thurs, Fri - 9.30am - 7pm
Wed - 10am - 7pm
Sat - 9.30am - 5pm

Message in a Bottle Scheme  

Message in a Bottle is a free scheme that has been introduced in Westminster. It is for those aged 60 or older who live alone, or have an illness or disability, to keep their personal and medical details in a bottle in the fridge, where they can easily be found in the event of an emergency. Bottles can be picked up from various places in SW1 including City Hall Social Services Reception, 64, Victoria Street, SW1 and two local pharmacies:

Bas Pharmacy
Contact: Sukhinder Basra
24 Upper Tachbrook Street
London SW1V 1SW
020 7834 6182

Warwick Pharmacy
Contact: Prakash Matani
34-36 Warwick Way
London SW1V 1RY
020 7834 4721

Or contact the Senior Passport number for other distribution points.
For more information please visit Westminster City Council’s website.

Pensions and Retirement  

For information about pensions, retirement, and winter fuel payments please visit www.thepensionservice.gov.uk

Queen Mother Sports Centre 020 7630 5522

223 Vauxhall Bridge Road, SW1V
The Queen Mother Sports Centre runs a range of classes and activities, some of which are tailored to suit the needs of older people e.g. Fit @ 50 Aqua and Fit at 50 Workout. Please visit their web pages for more information.

St Margaret’s Drop In (RADICLE) 020 7821 1621

1 Carey Place, Vauxhall Bridge Road, SW1V 2RT
A meeting place for older people. Provides a lunch service and advice on housing, welfare etc. The centre is open from 10.30 - 4.30 p.m., Monday to Friday.

Senior Citizens’ Forum (Westminster)  

The Westminster Senior Citizens Forum, is a citywide group for all older people which meets approximately every six weeks to discuss issues that are of importance to life in Westminster. It is open to all older people who live in Westminster to come along. For more information please visit their webpage.

Senior Passport (Westminster City Council) 020 7641 1444

The Senior Passport service provides access to Westminster City Council’s Social Services Teams for Older People. The service provides access to social care services and the Westminster Rehabilitation Service for older people and their carers. It can also provide information and advice about a range of services including the Keep Warm Keep Well initiative, Heatwave advice, the Message in a Bottle scheme and Disabled Facilities Grants.

Sheltered and Supported Accommodation 020 7641 1000

Sheltered housing schemes give older people the privacy of a flat or bed-sit with the reassurance that a scheme manager is based on-site. Some extra help is available, such as the emergency Link Line alarm service, and shared facilities such as laundry rooms and communal lounges. Supported housing is similar but the level of support available from the scheme manager is more limited. Sheletered and supported schemes in SW1 are listed below, for information about how to move into sheltered and supported accommodation for older people please visit Westminster City Council’s wwebsite.

Sheltered

• Darwin House, 104 Grosvenor Road, Churchill Gardens Estate

Supported

• Glastonbury House, Abbots Manor Estate, Warwick Way
• Charlwood House, Vauxhall Bridge Road
• Parkinson House, Tachbrook Street
• Anchor Court, 2 Carey Place, 40/44 Vauxhall Bridge Road
• Dean Abbot House, 70 Vincent Street
• Eileen Anderson Court, Johnsons Place, Pimlico
• Founders House, Aylesford Street, Pimlico
• Greenwood Court, 155 Cambridge Street
• Walston House, Aylesford Street
• Wolfson House, 70-78 St George’s Drive, Pimlico

Shopper Service (Westminster City Council) 020 7641 2009

Westminster City Council’s Shopper Service provides a free bus service to local supermarkets for older and disabled residents with limited mobility.

Staying Put 020 8206 5890/1

Staying Put runs a handyperson service in Westminster, which helps older people with small repairs in their home. For more information please visit Westminster City Council’s website.

Taxicard 020 7641 2266

Westminster City Council’s TaxiCard Scheme allows residents with disabilities, which prevent them from using public transport, to travel in black cabs at greatly reduced fares.

WASSR (Westminster City Council) 020 7439 3131

55 Dean Street, W1D 6AF
www.wassr.org
Westminster Advocacy Service for Senior Residents provides trained volunteer advocates to enable all older people in Westminster to express choices about matters affecting their everyday lives and so achieve a better quality of life.

WELDIS  

www.westminster.gov.uk/socialservices/weldis/index.cfm
WELDIS is Westminster City Council’s information service for older people, carers, adults and children with disabilities, chronic illness, mental health problems, substance misuse problems, and HIV / AIDS. Visit the website for more information.

Bogus callers - Crime prevention  

For crime prevention information about bogus callers, burglars who try to trick or con their way into people’s homes please visit the Met Police website.

Citizens Advice Bureau (Pimlico) 0870 126 4040

140 Tachbrook Street, SW1V 2NE
www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Offers free, confidential, impartial and independent advice to residents.

Grants for a healthy home (Westminster City Council) 020 7641 6161

If your home has damp problems, heating difficulties or poor facilities, there are various council grants available that could meet all or part of the cost of the repairs. For more information please visit Westminster City Council’s website.

Help the Aged  

www.helptheaged.org.uk
Help the Aged is an international charity fighting to free disadvantaged older people from poverty, isolation and neglect. They provide a range of services for disadvantaged older people around the UK, helping them to live independently in their own homes for as long as they wish.

Housing Benefit and Council Tax (Westminster City Council)  

Housing Benefit can help you meet the cost of your rent. You may qualify for benefit if you are on low income and your savings (joint savings if you have a partner) are £16,000.00 or less. Council Tax Benefit could help pay towards some, or all, of your Council Tax bill if you are on a low income, even if you own your own home. For more information and contact details please visit Westminster City Council’s website.