Lifts to vaccine centres offered for elderly

Age UK Hillingdon, Brent and Harrow is offering elderly people paid lifts to vaccine centres

A spokesperson from the charity said vaccine takeup among the elderly has been ‘good’ so far Elderly residents are being offered lifts by a charity to local vaccine centres during the Covid-19 pandemic. Age UK Hillingdon, Harrow and Brent is offering the service as part of its Help at Home package, which costs £21 per hour and also includes shopping, laundry and housework.

Tina Smith, director of services, said: “We tailor it to suit the individual. So we will arrive and pick up the older person and escort them to where they need to be.

“Depending on which vaccine you have sometimes you have to sit and wait for 15 minutes afterwards. So we will wait with them and then take them home and make sure they have a cup of tea.”

She added that a lot of families are ringing charity as they are worried about their elderly relative needing to get to their vaccine, since they can't go out on their own.

Ms Smith stresses that many people are happy to pay for Age UK to “reliably and competently” take their elderly relatives and escort them there and back.

She continued: “Yes it's a paid for service, but it does exactly what it says on the tin.” Ms Smith also said the Age UK team is “completely kitted out” in PPE gear when picking up residents.

“Which is absolutely right, because it's reassurance when they see us coming and also for us ourselves, as we're trying to protect ourselves as best we can,” she concluded.

Ruislip residents interested in the service can find out more about it at https://www.ageuk.org.uk/hillingdonharrowandbrent/our-services/help-at-home/ or call 020 8756 3053.

Nearly 18 million people have already received their first dose of the vaccine, with a further 642,788 having received their second dose.