Providing personal and community support services such as help for independent living and activities has enabled Bath-based housing association and housebuilder Curo to generate more than £19m in social value over the past six months.
Its services have helped prevent homelessness, assisted older people to stay living independently at home, ensured customers have a suitable home when they leave hospital and brought communities together, the firm said.
The figure, for the first six months of Curo’s 2023-24 financial year, reflects the social return on investment and measures the social, health and economic value it delivers to customers and the wider community.
Curo, one of the largest housing associations in the South West with a portfolio of 13,000 homes, uses the Social Value Bank, a tool developed by the Housing Associations' Charitable Trust, to work out the figure.
The firm, which also builds hundreds of new properties a year, is best known in Bath for its flagship 700-home Mulberry Park development on former MoD land on the city’s outskirts.
Curo service manager, older persons services Cathy Isaacs said the company was “incredibly proud” of the results, which showed the real-life impact it has in communities across the South West.”
Curo’s Independent Living Service (ILS) and Livewell service together delivered £10,245,755 in social value. These services support older customers to live happy and healthy lives in their own homes or in sheltered accommodation.
Customers get a dedicated support worker, who provides a friendly, listening ear.
Cathay added: “The support worker carries out welfare checks and takes customers to medical appointments they wouldn’t otherwise be able to attend.
“We support them to stay well, reducing visits to their GP and hospital – and ultimately the strain on the NHS.”
The support worker makes sure customers get all the benefits and financial support they’re entitled to.
The ILS and sheltered service also provide a pendant alarm for customers, which is monitored 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
ILS service manager Andy Russell said: “If a customer has a problem, rather than going straight to 999, they’re put through to a special helpline.
“They may then contact the customer’s next of kin or our offices, if the customer doesn’t require medical attention.”
Curo also has a service to help customers who’ve fallen in their homes.
“If they’re not injured, we can visit to pick them up,” said Cathy.
“This prevents the need for an ambulance, which can often mean a distressing wait-time. Again, this saves GPs’ time and prevents hospital admissions.”
Curo’s Stepdown service, which frees up hospital beds by providing accommodation for patients who are medically fit but who cannot yet return to their homes, saved the public purse £580,161.
Cathay added: “Some customers may be able to move back home after relearning certain tasks, which we help them to do. But if a customer can no longer cope with stairs, for example, they may have to move into other more suitable accommodation.”
In addition, Curo provides spaces and activities that bring communities together. Social isolation is one of the biggest risks to the wellbeing of older people. Curo’s sheltered community hubs are places to learn new skills and make friends.
Hub events include Tai Chi and digital classes, bingo sessions, coffee mornings and fish-and-chip lunches.
Curo also runs memory cafés with guest speakers and activities. By creating a space in the community for people who are worried about their memory, colleagues can help them to get a diagnosis in place. The well-attended cafés are also a chance for carers to get together and share experiences.
In the first half of the 2023-24 financial year, the social value of the Dementia Challenge service was £230,848.
