Care Home Friends on the Isle of Wight

Over a quarter of the Island's residents are over 65, and this is set to increase. Not surprisingly, admissions to care homes on the Isle of Wight are significantly higher than the England average. Research shows that older people in care homes are twice as likely to feel severely lonely as older people living at home.
That's why we are raising up an army of volunteers to spend time and build friendship with residents across the Island. We know that volunteers make a huge difference in the lives of the people they visit. Volunteers usually spend an hour a week visiting residents and do a range of activities with them, from simply chatting, to helping with IT skills, to playing games, reading aloud, accompanying a resident on a walk - the list is endless!
This Christmas we want to provide gift boxes to care home residents on the Isle of Wight who don't have family and friends. You can read more about this initiative by clicking here.

Introducing Rebecca

In September our Care Home Friends Co-ordinator for the Isle of Wight started her new role. A strange time to start with a second wave of the coronavirus imminent, but we are committed to supporting care homes residents and staff across the Island, and that is needed more than ever during this difficult season.
​You can read more about Rebecca by clicking here.

Wight Mask Ask

Having matched our first cohort of volunteers with care homes across the Island earlier in the year, we had to temporarily put the brakes on due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. We are still supporting care homes on the Island and have helped set up  Wight Mask Ask with a group of concerned residents, getting PPE equipment to care staff in care homes and the community, to help protect them and the vulnerable residents they serve. For more information click on the button below.