"Ageing in place" - people staying safe and healthy in their own homes for as long as possible - is desirable from social, economic, community, and health perspectives. As people age, however, they need a wide range of low-level support, some of which is available in the market, and some of which, by nature of being informal or fragmented, is not. Not everyone can afford in-home carers, and not everyone needs help as frequently and consistently as a carer would provide. Basic support can prevent health deterioration and accidents, isolation and depression, especially for those with long-term conditions.
ACL is a social enterprise model to provide practical support to older people living in their homes, and to create a community of mutual support.
The model radically re-thinks:
Needs assessments: assessment of low-level needs through a regular check-in service using existing providers (cleaner, milkman, carers) or new (“askers”)
Revenue streams: pooling of existing external revenue (Health, Social Services, and internal revenue (cleaner, gardener, handyman) with new funds from offspring. The model could support traditional currencies (membership / agency fees, commission, pay as you go) with alternative currencies (volunteer based exchange schemes or time banking). This would also accommodate the development of personalised budgets.
Provision models: breaking down of current silos between professional services (health, social), trades (cleaner, gardener, handyman) and volunteers (neighbours, offspring). The service could also provide a booking/brokering function
By placing the elderly person central all existing and new revenue would be pooled and services designed and secured from the inside-out rather than be provided from the outside-in. "
"Ageing in place" - people staying safe and healthy in their own homes for as long as possible - is desirable from social, economic, community, and health perspectives. As people age, however, they need a wide range of low-level support, some of which is available in the market, and some of which, by nature of being informal or fragmented, is not. Not everyone can afford in-home carers, and not everyone needs help as frequently and consistently as a carer would provide. Basic support can prevent health deterioration and accidents, isolation and depression, especially for those with long-term conditions.
ACL is a social enterprise model to provide practical support to older people living in their homes, and to create a community of mutual support.