Like many people and organisations our work has been hugely impacted by the pandemic. Our volunteers can no longer visit care home residents whilst restrictions are in place, so we have had to get creative in the way we connect with care home residents and support staff. 

 Care Homes Connected with Alexa

Our Care Home Connections project is now live, seeking to keep care home residents connected with their loved ones, using Alexa devices to combat many of the issues found with other methods of communication.  We've got lots of devices ready to send, completely free, to care home residents across the country to help them stay connected with their loved ones, and all the resources to get started, including "How To" guides for relatives and care homes. Find out more here.

Carers Connected

This is a new initiative to support  people looking after a loved one in an unpaid role. We're hosting weekly zoom meetings to enable carers to chat and pray together. 
​Carers sometimes find it helpful to write poems to process and express their feelings.  You can read their reflections here.

How can churches support care homes during this virus?

There has been so much in the news about the crisis in care homes during this virus. It's been heartbreaking to hear about residents separated from loved ones, high number of residents dying and staff working with inadequate supplies of PPE. What can churches do to come alongside care homes at this difficult time, when business as usual has been disrupted? We would love to share some ideas with you. Read more

The Vision

There are about 17,500 care homes across the UK and over 50,000 churches. We want to see every care home adopted by a local church,  with trained volunteers spending time and building friendship with residents, many of whom can feel overlooked and ignored. Together we can make an enormous difference in the lives of some of the oldest and frailest members of our community.

​ All it needs is one person in each church with a heart for older people who can recruit and co-ordinate two or three volunteers, to make a huge difference in their lives.  
HELPING CHURCHES TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Having a volunteer has "tranformed my life!"
Our trained volunteers offer friendship and support to elderly residents in care homes. Research suggests that older people in care homes are twice as likely to feel lonely as older people living in the community.  

Spending time with residents might involve simply chatting, playing a board game, doing a crossword together, or going out for a walk. The list is endless - any activity that a resident enjoys that builds relationship.

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WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT CARE HOME FRIENDS:
A 90 year old care home resident:
“We talk about things that we wouldn’t talk about in here. I feel like I am out in the normal world talking to a normal person. It’s normal and it’s lovely! I look forward to his visits all week”.
​A Care Home Manager:
“I cannot speak highly enough about your service. The quality of people your organisation sends to me is excellent, and I think what is really important is they really want to be here. Congratulations in getting it right!”
One of our Volunteers:
"Volunteering has increased my sense of purpose in life. I genuinely enjoy befriending people and the conversations that we have!"
Matt Bird, Founder of the Cinnamon Network
"The way Care Home Friends helps local churches adopt residential care homes to befriend elderly people, particularly those who experience loneliness, is brilliant and beautiful!"

Are you interested in making a difference?
​Could your church start a Care Home Friends project?​​

We'll give you all the help and support you need.
Contact us for more information.