This report examines the ALONE-HSE Support Coordination pilot service in Dublin North City and County (CHO9), which was conducted over a period of 18 months, commencing in January 2017. The service combines befriending (volunteers visiting socially isolated older people) and support coordination (aiding older people in accessing services to enable them to remain in their own homes). The review found the initiative to be effective and to make valuable contributions to older people needs and HSE services.
Key findings include:
- High level of satisfaction amongst service users, with 84.6% finding the support “very useful” and 65.4% reporting a “very big” difference in their lives. Key benefits included reduced loneliness, improved mental health, and practical assistance with applications, home issues, and finding reliable tradespersons.
- HSE staff reported that the service addresses needs they cannot meet themselves, including social isolation and practical challenges. The system has been found to facilitate earlier hospital discharge, more rapid identification of needs, prevention of unnecessary hospitalisation, and deferral of entry to long-term care.
The broader evidence base supports the positive outcomes associated with befriending and support coordination, indicating a favourable cost-benefit ratio. The review suggests keeping the full service available while also creating specialised models for different client groups. It recommends improving the service through ALONE-HSE collaboration and putting formal evaluation systems in place.
This report was originally published in 2018.