Wakefield Outreach is an integrated day-care service. It has links with a wide range of services within the community helping to provide care packages to meet your needs.
Aims
Our aim is to provide good quality, responsive day-care to people who want to live as independently as possible within the community. Through a range of various activities we aim to provide you with freedom of choice, to recognise your skills and help you to maintain your social life and hobbies.
Criteria
The service is part funded by the Mental Illness Specific Grant and is provided for users enduring mental health problems, specialising in dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
Group Size
The size of each group varies, but in order that your needs can be met, there are never more than ten members in each group, with one staff member to two or three group members.
Transport
Transport is provided by WMDS minibus with outreach staff driving and escorting to maintain carer contact.
Venues
Currently, centres operate in Normanton, Wrenthorpe, Ossett and Crigglestone covering the immediate community nearby as well as surrounding areas.
Activities
We offer a varied range of activities which reflect the needs of the group members. Sessions aim to develop and maintain your skills and include gentle physical activities, arts and crafts, reminiscence, health care, communication skills, relaxation and current community and local issues.
A Typical Day
Activities are planned in advance and arranged to meet the needs of both the individual and the group, so it is difficult to describe a 'typical day'. The driver and escort staff start collecting people from around 9am and usually arrive at the centre mid-morning.
Tea or coffee is provided on arrival, giving everyone an opportunity to catch up with events since they previously met. During the morning there is often a gentle physical activity. Lunch arrives around noon, staff and group members enjoy lunch together.
Afternoon activities could include an arts and crafts session, board game, reminiscence or work on a theme over a number of weeks linked to the time of year.
Sessions usually end with refreshments before everyone goes home at around 2.30pm-3.00pm.
Charges
A two-course meal is provided at a small cost. Tea, coffee, hot chocolate and biscuits are provided free of charge. There is also a small charge for the transport.
Community Resources
During the year we visit local places of interest, these can be linked to themes worked on throughout the year. We also have trips to the seaside and other places of interest.
Referrals
The service is available to anyone aged 65 who has from dementia. Consideration would also be given to referrals concerning young people suffering from early onset dementia.
Direct referrals can be made by Social Care Teams, Hospital Social Work Teams and colleagues in the community Mental Health Teams. Formal referrals must be made using the core assessment of the Wakefield District Assessment and Care Plan Management Documentation. A referral must reflect the agreed aims of the Care Plan. Referrals will also be considered from other agencies such as Primary Health Care Teams, relatives and carers. However, in such situations, the referral will be passed to one of the Community Mental Health Teams (older people) in order that comprehensive needs led assessment can be undertaken.
Informal enquiries from whatever source regarding the service and potential referrals are welcome. All potential service users will be, whenever possible, visited within 14 days of receiving a referral.
Contact Social Care Direct for further information. See Contact Social Care Direct in the 'Related Links' section.
Reviews
An informal review is held six weeks from first involvement and then every six weeks to ensure we are able to meet the service users needs. Outreach workers also contribute to more formal Care Programme/Management reviews.
Complaints and Compliments
If you have any comments regarding Wakefield Outreach, then in the first instance this can be addressed to the Deputy Manager who will try to address the issue in accordance with the Department's procedures.
