Tendring Community Assets Full Final Report

21 5.4.5 There are some regular social groups operating across the wider community which cater specifically for people with disability or learning difficulties, such as those at Weeley Village Hall which hosts The Lynch Mob, a weekly social club for able and disabled people over 19yrs, the weekly social club hosted by St Osyth Village Hall for able and disabled adults with tea, chatter and music, and Interact runs social events for people with learning disabilities and special needs in Kirby le Soken. 6 OLDER PEOPLE 6.1 This report is set in the context that Tendring has a higher than average number of older people, with 29% of the population being over 65yrs, significantly higher than the national average of 18%, and for this age group Tendring health data shows a relatively higher level of hip fractures and a lower diagnosis of dementia suggesting that there is a degree of unknown or unmet need (Appendix A). 6.2 Whilst there are some very lively pockets of activity some areas do not have many activities within easy reach of residents, particularly older people who may experience greater mobility challenges. For the more informally established or user led groups the greatest concentration of activities are in rural areas, often based in village, church or community halls and driven by key local enthusiasts. There are some, but far fewer, activities for older people in the larger towns. Despite this wider spread, reaching activities can be an issue for older people across the district (see section on access). 6.3 Given that information about what is available to people is inconsistent and varies hugely across the district some older people may not be aware of what is available to them. Many village halls have lots of very good activities for older people happening each week but it can be that each organiser works in isolation, details of their group can often only be obtained through the notice board in the hall or phoning the organiser individually. Not all have printed material which may be more accessible to older age people, such as advertisements in local newsletters or other information sheets circulated to homes. 6.4 There are a number of social groups, coffee mornings and lunch clubs which attract mainly older people. There are also dementia drop-ins in a number of areas such as those operated by CVST at Sam’s Hall in Clacton and the Alzheimer’s Society monthly Information Hubs in Dovercourt and Clacton. A new drop-in is about to start in and run by Don Thompson House in Dovercourt. These are very popular and well attended by dementia sufferers and their carers. These provide a tailored social environment, much appreciated by carers who have the opportunity to socialise with others in similar circumstances. The Alzheimer's Society Dementia Friends scheme is also quite active locally, raising general awareness and understanding of the needs of dementia sufferers. The Tendring Dementia Action Alliance consists of businesses, public and voluntary sector whose aim is to raise awareness of and to work toward becoming a dementia friendly district. 6.5 The U3A offers facilities for retired or semi-retired people to join a range of activities, many of which support physical and emotional health and wellbeing. There are many groups to join, depending on personal interests, and these provide strong social networks and meaningful activity. There are four covering Tendring – Harwich Peninsula, Tendring District (Clacton focused but with a Frinton & Walton Satellite branch), Brightlingsea and Stour Valley. Joining is straightforward and low cost and the U3A website is an excellent source of information for prospective participants. 6.6 Age Concern Colchester and North East Essex has had a lot of success in Colchester and its surrounding areas with their ‘The Veranda’ project, based on delivering a face-to-face befriending service, an advice service that removes the barriers to social isolation and financial stress, with a view to connecting people with their communities and