Carers in place for project

CARERS and a co- ordinator have been recruited for the Appin and Lismore Community Care Scheme, an innovative ‘social enterprise’ model of home care for the two communities.

Councillor Elaine Robertson said: ‘We have a major issue over the recruitment of cover in the area. The elderly population is rising, and there is more and more need for care in the community.

‘This is a pilot project with a local dimension. It is something that hopefully will work in rural areas where we have most difficulties. We are very much hoping it will be successful, then it could be rolled out across Argyll and Bute.’

Last spring Caroline Henderson, acting locality manager for Oban Lorn and the Islands, outlined the plans for future home care within the Port Appin surgery area, as Appin Community Council minutes recorded: ‘The proposal is to create a social enterprise model involving Highland Home Carers Ltd employing local carers to deliver care to local people in their homes.’

Chairman of Appin Community Trust Dr Iain McNicol said the scheme has recruited more than seven carers, who have now been trained, and a co- ordinator, Liz Bruce, is now in post, ‘responsible for supporting the provision of a care-at-home service for vulnerable people and to provide assistance with key tasks which maintain and promote the independence for people in their own home.’

The role is also ‘responsible for co- ordinating the local care-at-home service and developing links with third-sector organisations to further develop older people’s services locally’.