Home Instead fights loneliness

Home Instead’s Managing Director has been appointed to one of the UK’s most important charities for elderly people.

Home Instead’s UK MD, Martin Jones, has been recognised for his commitment to improving the lives of older people, as charity The Silver Line has appointed him to its board of trustees.

The charity was launched in 2013 by Dame Esther Rantzen to try to combat rising levels of loneliness among the elderly and is currently the only confidential, free helpline for older people in the UK. It has received more than two million calls since it was set up and has been supported by companies such as senior care franchise Home Instead, as they provide vital care to isolated older people across the country.

Jones commented on his appointment, saying:

“Our mission is to ‘change the face of ageing’ and everything that we do is focused on this. Our care service allows older people to remain living at home and stay connected with their local community, where they feel valued and can continue to make a contribution. The Silver Line provides an invaluable support service, so our two organisations are well-aligned. My involvement with them will allow me to help shape some of the charity’s initiatives, perhaps most importantly those that help to combat loneliness amongst older people.”

Big-hearted Jones is also a trustee of the Care Workers Charity - which aims to protect and fight for good working conditions for carers - works with the Age at Work Leadership Team for Business in the Community (BITC) and champions older workers for the BITC. Alongside everything else, he also occupies a position on the board of the TSA, the industry body that was set up for technology-enabled care.

Sophie Andrews, Chief Executive of The Silver Line, expressed how thrilled the charity was with its new trustees.

“The new trustees bring a wealth of relevant experience to our board and join us at an important time in our short history. They have already demonstrated a passion for the cause and have some great ideas about how we secure longer-term income to ensure we are sustainable for the future.”