Eden Independent Living service set to extend Emergency Response Service to cover North Cumbria

The Eden Independent Living service from Eden Housing Association currently operates a 24 hour emergency response service in Eden;  where they already operate a range of services to help people remain independent in their own homes.They will now extend their service to North Cumbria from 1 June as a direct response to the announcement that the Careline emergency response service, run by Riverside, is closing.

Riverside will run an interim response service to ensure current customers are not left without support when Careline closes on 4 April. The Eden Independent Living (EIL) team is working closely with Riverside to ensure there is no interruption of service. We have written to all our customers about this.

Riverside will continue to run a monitor service through Helpline, our specialised call centre based in Speke. When a customer contacts Helpline by pressing their alarm we will contact the response service if it is needed. Riverside is still at the heart of this service.

Dean Butterworth, Riverside divisional director in Cumbria says “I am delighted that Eden Independent Living is able to take on the Emergency Response Service so that vulnerable residents in Cumbria can the get the extra support they need.

Riverside has worked tirelessly, since the announcement of the closure,to find an alternative response service and to support our 26 staff affected by these changes. We are pleased that many Careline staff have already found alternative roles with Riverside; others have chosen to find work locally with other companies or taken voluntary redundancy. No compulsory redundancies have needed to be made

Carolyn Greenhalgh, Assistant Director for Housing and Support at Eden Housing Association said “ Change is always a worry, even more so for older people. Following finalising discussions with Riverside, we want to take the earliest opportunity to reassure those who are currently receiving the Careline Response Service that there will be an alternative locally based Emergency Response Service they can trust. We will also be looking to recruit new team members.”

Leading the Eden Independent Living Service across Eden and Carlisle will be Kath Hetherington, Development Manager for EIL. With 17 years supporting the emergency response service in Eden Kath said “It is good news that we have been able to work so closely with Riverside to set up the change.  We are also talking to other organisations and agencies to make them aware of the new service which is available from 1^st June 2016.”

Anyone else looking to find out more about any of the EIL services available can contact the Eden Independent Living Team on 01768 890657or visit the website www.eil.org.uk