Issue 03, Winter 2018 SHELTERED HOUSING NEWS OUR SHELTERED HOUSING SCHEMES ARE BLOOMING MARVELLOUS! Congratulations to all of the tenants who were Court, Ynysddu won second place and third place shortlisted in last year’s gardening contest. Maesteg was won by Castle Court in Pontywaun. scheme in Pentwynmawr were awarded first prize Winners were announced on 14th September over in the Best Sheltered Housing Communal Garden afternoon tea in the conservatory at Llancaich Fawr, category. Judges were impressed by the sense of Nelson. Awards were presented by Cllr Lisa Phipps, community at the winning scheme, with a number the council’s Cabinet Member for Homes and Places, of tenants actively involved in the gardening, along and Fiona Wilkins, Caerphilly Homes’ Public Sector with its good use of space and colour. Alexandra Housing Manager.

Our Older Person’s Housing Team has a new contact telephone number. You can now reach them on 01443 811431.

The winning garden at Maesteg.

Pat Perry from Castle Court. Mona Whittaker from Alexandra Court. Fiona Wilkins presenting award to Maesteg tenants.

Cartre Caerli Caerphilly Homes WELSH HOUSING QUALITY STANDARD (WHQS) UPDATE

The WHQS sheltered housing included new roofs, kitchens, and The Willows, Bedwas; both improvement programme is bathrooms and external paths. schemes are expected to be progressing well and on target Work is currently ongoing at completed in March this year. for our completion date of 2020. Ty Bedwellty, ; Works also started recently at St Clare’s in was the first improvements to this ‘under one Glynsyfi, New and scheme to receive all internal and roof’ scheme began in May 2017 Glynderw, Churchill Park. external WHQS improvements. and will see new kitchens and Schemes due to start during 2018 External works were carried out last bathrooms fitted in each flat, are Gwyddon Court and The Ranks at the scheme and were completed along with a new heating system in Abercarn, Woodland View in in October last year. Mr Bill Grandin, and the installation of a lift. Works Cwmfelinfach, Ty a tenant at St Clare’s, told us about are on target to be completed in in Pontllanfraith, Maesteg in his experience of the works; which March this year. Pentwynmawr, Oaklands and included new roofs and painting Works are also ongoing at Horeb St Gwladys Court in Bargoed. around windows. Bill said “I was Court, Trinant where pathways We are also continuing with coffee very pleased with the work and at the scheme were recently mornings and afternoon tea events couldn’t fault it. The boys who renewed. in schemes where surveys are worked here were as good as gold Internal improvements have about to begin. These events offer and Liz, the Tenant Liaison Officer, you the opportunity to meet the was fantastic.” been completed at Y Glyn, Maesycwmmer and roof renewal team responsible for delivering the In December 2017, all works were is currently taking place at the WHQS programme in sheltered also completed at Gibbs Close and scheme. We’re also currently housing and to ask any questions Palmer Place in Blackwood. Works working at Waun Rhydd, Gelligaer you may have about the work.

St Clare’s, Rhymney. Mr Grandin at home.

SHELTERED HOUSING NEWS: ISSUE 3 Tenants from Pleasant Place, Penyrheol with officers from Police.

2018 Trips 14/03/18 - Labels Shopping, Ross-on-Wye 21/03/18 - Brecon 05/04/18 - Caerphilly Garden Centre & The Red Kite 11/04/18 - Weston 18/04/18 - Symonds Yat (East) 03/05/18 - Roath Park & FIRE SAFETY The Nine Giants Safety when cooking Electrical safety 09/05/18 - Cardiff Bay • Take pans off the heat or • Never repair or rejoin cables. 23/05/18 - Porthcawl turn gas / electricity off when • Do not run cables under the unattended. 07/06/18 - Caldicot Castle & carpet. The Castle Inn • Avoid cooking if you’ve been • Keep cables away from the consuming alcohol or certain 13/06/18 - Tenby cooker. medication. 20/06/18 - St Fagan’s • Turn off cooker when you’ve • Never use more than one 05/07/18 - Friars Walk, Newport adaptor per socket. finished. 11/07/18 - Barry Island • Turn off sockets. • Make sure toasters, microwaves, 18/07/18 - Mumbles, Swansea • Close kitchen door. hairdryers and kettles are plugged into their own socket 02/08/18 - Caerleon Roman Fortress and Baths & Chip pans and not used with an adaptor. • Never fill a chip pan more than The Ship Inn a third full of oil. Oxygen cylinders 08/08/18 - Weston • Keep oxygen cylinders stored in 22/08/18 - Bath • Consider using a an upright position. thermostatically controlled 06/09/18 - Cwmbran Shopping deep fat fryer. • Do not store near a heat source; Centre & store in an area with good air The Harvester • Never leave your cooking flow. unattended. Even if the phone 11/09/18 - Bourton-on-the-Water or doorbell rings. Remember - • Do not use oil or lubricants near 04/10/18 - Festival fires start when your attention oxygen equipment. Park & Brewers Fayre stops. • Make sure the oxygen supply 09/10/18 - Abergavenny Market If you do have a chip pan fire: company inspects equipment 14/11/18 - McArthur Glen regularly. Designer Outlet, • Call the fire and rescue service Bridgend on 999 immediately. • Do not use any electrical appliance that has a motor 05/12/18 - Gloucester Christmas • Don’t take risks. (e.g. electric razor, hairdryer) Market • Have a clear escape route. near an oxygen cylinder. If there any additional trips • Never move the pan. • Do not use anything flammable you would like to go on please contact Liam Bouse Activities whilst using oxygen. • Turn off the heat (if it’s safe to Co-ordinator, and he will help you do so). • Never smoke or allow others to organise it • Never use water on chip pan smoke near oxygen. fires, as this will cause a fireball. Service charges for sheltered housing Frequently Asked Questions

Why are we paying so much for of the sheltered housing service the expenditure throughout the ground maintenance? What and in the absence of a Sheltered year to closely monitor for any does it cover? Housing Officer on site, all tenants excessive costs. Charges for items This charge is for the grounds have access to the Careline which attract a higher cost will be maintenance work on the land monitoring response centre for spread over a number of ‘life years’ within the boundaries of your assistance and support. to keep the yearly charges lower scheme. It includes a weekly What do ‘I.T. communications’ for tenants. grass cut from the first Monday cover? I do not use the communal in April and additional ‘pre-cut’ in This is a charge for the telephone lounge, so why do I have pay March, yearly pruning of shrubs and computer provisions at the towards it? and a twice yearly cut of hedges scheme to enable and support Tenants are charged for the for all schemes. Other specific the Sheltered Housing Officers to services provided at the scheme work will depend on what is undertake their daily duties. they live in. You are not able to opt present at any particular scheme, out of a service charge for a service for example flower beds. We are What is the 10% admin charge? What is it for and what does it which is available at your scheme currently reviewing the breakdown just because you do not use it. of charges, specification and cover? frequency of grounds maintenance This covers the cost of managing Why is the cleaning charge so for all sheltered housing schemes and delivering the service charge high? and we will update you further process for tenants. The schemes have been once this information is available. Why is there a charge for the TV individually assessed for the Further consultation may be licence when tenants already number of hours required to required if any changes are needed pay their own? If I’m over 75 provide an adequate cleaning or requested. why do I have to pay as law service according to the size and design of the scheme. The cleaning The Sheltered Housing Officer states over 75s do not have to pay? charges are calculated per number is not always on site so what of days and hours the cleaner is exactly are we paying for? The TV licence charge is for the TV in the communal lounge at your employed at your scheme. The This charge covers all associated charges include all associated costs for the Sheltered Housing scheme. Your own licence and the over 75 arrangement for your cleaning materials and any special Service. Each scheme will have cleaning requirements. a staff member on site each individual property does not apply day. Sheltered Housing Officers to the communal TV facility. Why are charges capped for two provide floating support cover Will the service charge increase years? for a minimum of 2 schemes in a next year? Whilst some tenants saw a day. The hours covered at each The charges will vary from reduction in charges, it also scheme will vary depending on year to year depending on the resulted in increased costs to the staff cover at any given time. expenditure at each specific tenants of some schemes. It The Sheltered Housing Officer scheme and may increase or was therefore proposed that rota is displayed at each scheme decrease in any future year. The transitional arrangements would to advise tenants of the staff cover charges are calculated based be put in place for the first two for each week. In emergencies on actual expenditure from the years following introduction of during working hours, a Sheltered previous year. The Council does the changes, to assist and support Housing Officer can be called upon not make a profit and the charges existing tenants in the schemes to attend a scheme if required. The only recover the cost of the with the highest charges in 24 hour Careline service is also part service. Officers carefully examine adjusting to the changes.

SHELTERED HOUSING NEWS: ISSUE 3 A message from Liam Bouse, Activities Co-ordinator I’m pleased to say that 2017 was answers correct! There was also a very busy year for sheltered a prize draw for everyone who housing tenants, with a variety took part; there were 12 prizes of different activities and up for grabs including a tour of events taking place at schemes Llancaich Fawr. throughout the . • A number of schemes hosted Crackers & Crime event at This included: talks on a range of topics, Pleasant Place, Penyrheol. • £3,518 raised for 8 different including doorstep crime charities, including Macmillan, and home safety from the A list of trips for 2018 can be Stoke Association and Police, advice on preventing found over the page and also Alzheimer’s Society. fires from the Fire Service and on your scheme’s communal noticeboard. If you’d like to visit • 46 trips arranged including information on dementia from somewhere that isn’t on the list visits to Bourton-on-the-Water, the Alzheimer’s Society. please let me know and I will Cardiff Bay and Barry Island • Charity Mind Cymru delivered a try, wherever possible, to run (this was 18 more trips than the 6 week mental health and well- additional trips. previous year). being course. I’m always open to ideas for new • The launch of the ‘Sheltered • Easter and Christmas school activities or events so please give Housing Quiz’. Congratulations choir performances. me a call on 01443 866449 or to Mrs Williams from The • Pamper sessions held at Castle email me [email protected] Willows in Bedwas who was the Court and St Mary’s Court. highest scorer with 45 out of 50

Tenants helped by our Floating Support team During 2017 our Floating Support team opened 103 new cases and closed 92 completed cases where tenants’ support needs had been met, they’d moved to a more suitable property or no longer engaged with the service. The team consistently worked with around 250 clients. The Floating Support team provide a range of assistance to tenants including helping to complete online housing transfer applications, applying for adaptations, benefits claims and applications for grants. In one case the team were asked to visit a lady whose partner had been claiming benefits on her behalf and when he left the property she was left without any money. The Floating Support team firstly provided the tenant with an emergency food parcel as there was no food in the property. They then supported her through a claim for Employment Support Allowance (ESA) and accompanied her at the work capability assessment. When this was completed the team were then able to claim housing benefit, discretionary housing payment and HelpU for a reduction in water rates. The tenant was also supported to claim Personal Independence Payments (PIP) along with severe disability benefit. In total since working with this tenant, the Floating Support team was able to increase her benefits from zero to £274 per week. She is now able to pay her rent and a payment plan has been set up in order for her to pay long standing debts. For more information on the services provided by our Floating Support Team call 01443 811425 or email [email protected] A new lease of life for Colin Colin Hill, a tenant at Ty Bedwellty in Cefn Fforest, has been given a new lease of life since moving into sheltered housing. Before moving to Ty Bedwellty, in November 2015, Colin lived with his parents in . Living independently was a challenge for Colin at first but Mair Jones, his Sheltered Housing Officer, told us how much his confidence and skills have grown over this time. Colin is now a Learning Disability Community Champion for the Welsh Ambulance Service and a keen photographer. He recently had internal WHQS improvements completed in his flat and really enjoyed spending time with our workforce! If you have any photos or memories you’d like to share in this newsletter please contact Kelsey Watkins, Communications & Tenant Engagement Officer, on 01443 864262 or by emailing [email protected] Word search We’ve hidden the names W M L P G R T A T U Y of 8 sheltered housing A N A T R G Y P Y N S schemes in the wordsearch. See if you can find the U W A O O R M E I D G Schemes listed below.

N R Z A V E E N S Y W Words to find: R L W K E E L C A G Y Greenacres H T P A B N I E F L D Oaklands Ty Isaf Y O A K L A N D S Y D Ty Melin D N Q R E C T R U N G Waunrhydd D I Y B D R S A P A W Y Glyn Ynyswen O B N S O E G O O I Y Ysgwyddgwyn P E T E W S I L L T N A G Y O P E G L Y A O D G O O D I N U R N D

SHELTERED HOUSING NEWS: ISSUE 3