Chain Reaction

Who is the service for?

We are one of three partner organisations delivering Chain Reaction, which is commissioned by Newcastle City Council and supports older people (55+) to live independently in the community.

Chain Reaction is a new approach that offers a real alternative to building-based day services; the service is flexible and personalised and works with older people to support them in deciding what they would like to achieve and how to make this happen. The service offers a variety of support, from sorting out financial worries to organising outings, and is flexible and responds to the person’s unique needs.

What we do and how we help

Any plans agreed will depend on the person and their circumstances, but the idea behind the service is to make sure that older people can get the support they need to live at home. This includes feeling safe and well, being treated with dignity and respect, being in control of making decisions, and being able to stay in touch with family, friends, and the community.

Our staff will support people to meet their needs in a creative and person-centred way. We aim to include the following three elements in the support we offer people.

1. One-to-one personalised support

• This will be different for each person, and could include:
• support to address health issues
• support around budgeting
• help to make phone calls or deal with correspondence
• being someone to talk to who knows the individual
• domestic skills, such as food preparation

2. Connecting people to their community

This might include:

• help to get out and do the shopping
• finding out what’s going on in the community and local area
• help to reconnect or get involved with local groups and activities

3. Connecting people to others and creating a network of natural support

We want to help to prevent people feeling lonely by:

• having some support to come to groups and meeting new people
• making new friends, or reconnecting with family or old friends who are important to the individual
• connecting with people who have shared interests

How much does the support cost?

There are three levels of support that we provide:

• Prevention (free low-level support, funded by Public Health)
• Foundation (£40.62 per week)
• Life Skills (£61.42 per week)

The Life Skills level allows for a longer visit or an extra visit each week, to allow people’s individual needs to be met.

How do I refer someone to this service?

Referrals can be made by email or by telephone.

Email: info@chainreaction-newcastle.co.uk
Telephone: 0300 300 7070 (local rate)

The other organisations delivering Chain Reaction are Search and KeyRing.

Lunch Links

This is an additional service which provides a wide range of opportunities for fun, friendship, food, shopping trips, and excursions close to where people live, giving them the chance to meet up with friends and make new ones.

To find out more, or to request an appointment with one of the team, please contact us on 0300 300 7070 (local rate).