Older people, especially those with savings of over £23,000, are often unaware of the help that is available to help them live independent lives in their own homes.

Age Concern Wiltshire is able to help with advice and information about what is available and sometimes their advice can be life and sanity saving.

Recently information officer Judy Hosegood was able to help a local nonagenarian whose life was falling apart.

Eric Jones is in his 90s and lives near Calne. His wife, Mary, had a stroke and was taken to hospital. After some weeks she had made a partial recovery and Mr Jones was very keen for her to come home.

But it proved impossible and hospital staff recommended that she needed to be looked after in a nursing home. This was a complete shock to Mr Jones and he did not know how to arrange it or what it meant at all.

Mrs Hosegood visited him at home to give him information about nursing homes and the financial issues. She told him about how the process works, so he understood how to go about it and what to ask health staff.

While talking to Mr Jones, Mrs Hosegood thought that, because of his own health problems, he might be eligible for the attendance allowance, a benefit that is not means tested.

He had never considered this for himself as he had concentrated on looking after his wife particularly for the last three years.

Mrs Hosegood completed the attendance allowance form, a complicated business involving a repetitive and lengthy application, with him and he was awarded the higher rate of £70.35 a week so he can now live a little more comfortably and visit his wife in a local nursing home. The lower weekly rate is £47.10.

Mr Jones said that he was really pleased with the help he received from Age Concern.

Mrs Hosegood said there are many services available to people, which they wouldn’t know about unless their financial situation allowed Social Services to help them. She said: “It is only when we go on a home visit we can see exactly what people need. We can discuss how they see their difficulties and come up with a solution.”

To speak to an advice and information officer, ring Age Concern Wiltshire on (01380) 727767.