offering to do shopping trips for elderly/people unable to go

[zeban]

Hi,

I'd like to offer (free) assistance to anyone in need. I'm young, able bodied and always happy to help my local community. Please PM me if you need any help or know anyone who could do with the help. I don't drive but have carried some heavy stuff over the years!

Kind Regards,

Zeban

[louisiana]

Hi Zeban

There's another thread on this - which I started yesterday - but which for some obscure reason got lounged almost immediately...

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?20,579509

(Not quite sure how helping elderly neighbours in ED is not about ED - Admin??)

[zeban]

Ah brilliant, I didn't see that, thanks. Well I wasn't sure where to put it but I am in ED and am specifically offering to my local community but would be happy to help anyone who needed it.

I thought it made more sense given that I don't know my neighbours and therefore wouldn't want to scare them by going to their front doors. I never answer my own front door unless I'm expecting someone.

[louisiana]

Zeban, it's quite likely that your elderly neighbours are not online, and not on this forum. I wouldn't worry about knocking on doors if you know there is someone elderly there, but probably best to employ some ground rules if you don't know them/they don't know you, to help allay any fears they might have.

[zeban]

Yes I did think that, just not sure the best way of reaching out to people

[peterstorm1985]

zeban Wrote:

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> Yes I did think that, just not sure the best way

> of reaching out to people

Probably best to speak to everyone you know, whether friend or shopkeeper and see if they can make the introductions.

Or contact Volunteer support

[zeban]

Thank you Peterstorm I'll do that

[James Barber]

What a truly great thread to see. Well done zeban.

One great way to help would be to volunteer for Dulwich Helpine - they specialise in offering "friendly volunteer support for isolated older people". They clearly have lots of clients who need help and are always on the look out for extra volunteers.

Their general contact details are:

[email protected]

020 8299 2623

For volunteering:

[email protected]

020 8299 4594.

[computedshorty]

Years ago when old neighbours needed help, they would put a cardboard with written a ? H ? visibly in a front window.

If you could contact these people by calling at their home with something written in large letters to show then through a half open door, it could be on these lines:

I am Fred your neighbour from just down the road, I am going shopping would you like me to get you anything, or even come with me.

I am willing to get things for you if you need help put a large H in your front window.

If you would like your Prescription got from the chemist put a C in window

or to post a letter put P.

M for milk B for bread. My Phone number is XXXXXXXXX.

This worked many times when people trusted one another, possibly they are more cautious now.

I have lots of foot prints in the snow up to my front door, but nobody knocked, no Milk or Post and Bin not emptied for two days. No worry I stock up in advance.

Only one thing worries me Electricity if that goes I cant keep warm or cook.

[zeban]

Computedshorty that's such a lovely way of helping people out. I wonder if it would work if I tried it today?

And if your electric went out you'ld be welcome to use mine.

[ludoscotts]

hi zeban I just wanted to say think its lovely what you are doing. there is quite often help given to elderly in these circumstances but others who may find it difficult seem to have know-one to turn to.

Im 8 months pregnant with a toddler so have found it impossible to leave the house for the last couple of days as I cant carry my little one anymore and snow too thick for her to wade through.

im lucky that ive had friends texting asking if I need help and Hubby has had to pick things up on way home but there must be so many people like me with know-one to help them. Well done, once again the forum has provided a lovely sense of community spirit.

[zeban]

Thank you :)

That's exactly what I meant, not just elderly but anyone who needs help and perhaps don't have the friends/family/support and are not necessarily part of a charity etc. Just individuals. I don't know if anyone will reach out but i'm here if anyone needs me.

Do you think this is a good place to put it? Maybe I should put it in the for sale/items offered section?

[Sue]

What a great thread.

If you understandably don't want to cause unnecessary alarm by knocking on people's doors, you could put a note through the letterbox explaining what you're offering and say you'll be calling back at a certain time?

Zeban, you're a star.

[caro ed]

Hi Zeban

Just wanted to say how lovely this idea is, good on you :-) I would also like to be involved in something like it when I can get the time to drop stuff round to people who need it (I work from home) - perhaps if we did something street by street?..(mine is pretty long!)

[computedshorty]

Regarding loss of Electricity there has been in the past times when the needs of electric is greater that the supply so a Rota of two hour cuts are announced in advance, if you are grouped with a supply for a Hospital you are less likely to get a cut.

So many took the precaution of buying a Paraffin lamp and two litres of Paraffin Oil, and a small Gaz ring and a couple of Gaz cartridges.

Now that these will probably be needed, by elderly persons, can they get to them?

Are they in the garden shed, down in the cellar, or in the loft. Do they need help to get them?

This applies to food many old people have problems bending down or reaching up, they do have tins of food stored away as they have experienced being unable to go shopping in the past, but these items have been stored at the back of the bottom kitchen units, or on high shelves, I now don't keep anything on the bottom or high shelves. Could you help move these to an accessible place?

Getting shopping for a neighbour, they might ask you to get some tea, if you asked them to give you just a part of the packet of their tea you will know what make if bags or leaves and how many they buy at a time.

So you can buy Yorkshire Tea Gold Blend 160 Bags.

If you get them to do this with all the containers they only need hand to you these bits of card or cap off of a bottle.

If you are taking someone with you they will only walk slowly, looking at the goods on the shelves in the Super Market the lower cost items are always on the bottom or top shelf both awkward for a rheumatic pensioner.

A Pensioner has only limited resources to spend don't encourage them to buy more than they intend.

I can only give a list of things that we don't want to run out of:

Bread Milk Butter Sugar Tea Bacon Eggs Cooking oil Toilet Rolls Washing up liquid.

Baked Beans Spaghetti Peas Potato?s Biscuits Pet food Postage Stamps.

When you offer help make it clear that you are helping others and must not be delayed as others are hoping that you can also help them, I know from experience that you might get asked to cut the grass clean windows take the dog for a walk, anyone who is alone likes to have somebody to talk to, but one might take over and you cant share your time.

Remember that an old person still thinks in old money most likely the value of money when they went to work about ten years ago, so if they offer you fifty pence it seems a lot to them but not to you.

As you are doing it for the person and not to expect payment, I have a way of not refusing their offer, I say can you instead buy me a packet of my favourite sweets Jelly Babies. They are happy to think that they can give you something you like.

Regarding any cardboard notice if placed in a window it can only be put down low as they might not be able to reach to the upper window ledge. So you might have to look around any bush or bin.

[Lucyd30]

Hi,

I would love to offer some help, company, shopping, tea and cakes(!) for those who don't have a support network around them-have been googling charities etc for about an hour and came across Zeban's post, I am on crystal palace road and would love to help the elderly in the community somehow-especially in the run up to Christmas. Would love to join forces? Work full time but available weekends/eve Lucy

[zeban]

Hi,

Thanks for all the positive responses and I love all of the advice Computedshorty.

Lucyd30, I'd love to join forces, and I live very close to you. Don't know if you have any suggestions about how to get the word out though to individuals? Also, a couple of the posters suggested a charity called Dulwich Helpline which is specifically aimed at helping the elderly.

[Lucyd30]

Hi Zeban,

Yes we should try that, please feel free to private message me or just contact me through here.

It would be great to make a difference to people.

Lucy

[charliebrown]

Lucy/Zeban

Count us in in! We will do anything to help.

Di & Alex

Jacks Tea & Coffee House

[caro ed]

Zeban/Lucy

Just reiterating that I would like to be part of this as well so please keep me in the loop - looks like it was missed on my last post! :-)

[JS33]

This is a great idea, and I'd love to help, too. It seems like a neighborhood emergency help network could be really useful, especially for people who don't ordinarily need help but who could use a hand when conditions are severe. If one doesn't exist, I'd be happy to help put one together. Perhaps also contact the local churches to get the word out? I don't belong, but am guessing that a slightly higher percentage of older people might.

[louisiana]

Just to say this is all still eminently worth pursuing for the longer term - despite the thaw - as this will only the the first of the many cold bites.

[zeban]

Yes absolutely Louisiana.

JS33 I think you've hit the nail on the head with a neighborhood emergency help network. It would be great to put one together.

[computedshorty]

Thank you all for posting all those packets of my favourite sweet Jelly Babies through my letterbox, I can't get the front door open, can somebody poke a walking stick through and push them away a bit.

The Blackpool Rock is nice but gets a bit sticky sucking it, it fell on the floor the cat got it's hair stuck to it, that will keep it warm.

[zeban]

computedshorty Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Thank you all for posting all those packets of my

> favourite sweet Jelly Babies through my letterbox,

> I can't get the front door open, can somebody poke

> a walking stick through and push them away a bit.

> The Blackpool Rock is nice but gets a bit sticky

> sucking it, it fell on the floor the cat got it's

> hair stuck to it, that will keep it warm.

(tu)