New Centre for Independent Living will help people live independently in Ceredigion

THE new Penmorfa Centre for Independent Living, promoting independence and community support, is set to transform the way individuals find solutions and access information to help themselves. The Centre is nestled in the heart of Ceredigion on the ground floor of the County Council’s offices at Penmorfa, in Aberaeron.

The vision for the Centre is to empower individuals to live independently at home for longer. The Centre provides individuals with the opportunity to see a range of equipment related to care, technology, mobility, and independent living. There is the provision of personalised advice via the AskSARA online tool, which is a specialist tool to help people self-assess their needs. AskSARA is also available online: West Wales Care Partnership – AskSARA (livingmadeeasy.org.uk)

The Centre is divided into several specialised areas to showcase support for the diverse needs of our community, including:

. AskSARA dedicated room
. Technology-enabled care and smart devices
. Care and mobility equipment
. Visual impairment support
. Housing adaptations
. Fire Safety awareness
. Direct Payment guidance
. Carers and cared-for support

The Centre has an integrated Manual Handling Training Suite and will be offering courses on Health and Safety to identified groups within our local community.

Jenny, a service user who visited the centre recently during a preview session, said: “Visiting the new Centre was a very positive experience for me. Despite having plenty of equipment at home, I found AskSARA incredibly helpful. Staff even demonstrated furniture raisers and advised me on where to purchase a powered chair locally. I left with valuable ideas to make things easier at home for my partner and discovered additional support available for unpaid carers like me.”

A Ceredigion County Council spokesperson said: “Ensuring our community can live independently at home is of paramount importance. The launch of Ceredigion’s Centre for Independent Living in Penmorfa marks a significant milestone in our commitment to providing accessible and innovative solutions for individuals and families seeking practical ways to live more independently. It’s fantastic to see such a wide range of solutions all under one roof. We invite everyone to visit and explore the wealth of resources available at the Centre.”

The Centre will be open to the public from 29 April 2024, between 10:30-15:30, Monday to Friday.

For more information, visit the website Penmorfa Centre for Independent Living – Ceredigion County Council or contact Clic contact centre on 01545 570 881 or by email on clic@ceredigion.gov.uk.