A NEW support service for elderly and vulnerable people is being officially launched in Malvern next week.

Malvern Home Support Service is run by Friends of the Elderly, which also operates the Davenham and Perrins care homes, and the Geraldine Court and Alexander Gardens day centres.

It is based on a similar service that Friends of the Elderly has run for the past four years in Woking, Surrey.

The service provides practical help and emotional support to older people who live alone. It enables them to continue to live independently and gives priority to people with dementia, confusion or depression.

Elderly people are referred to the service by professional agencies, such as community psychiatric nurses, health visitors, district nurses, or wardens from the sheltered housing schemes.

The home support worker will do all the usual domestic tasks, plus shopping.

Vivian Jackson, deputy director of Friends of the Elderly, said that apart from providing practical help, the scheme aims to give emotional support.

"Our home support staff are matched with the clients for what we call person-centred care.

"We are also concerned to take the service into rural areas around Malvern, which often get neglected," she said.

It already has some 20 clients, being cared for by four home support workers, but Friends of the Elderly hope to expand this soon.

The scheme is being officially launched on Tuesday, July 6, when Friends of the Elderly will be hosting a mental health seminar in Malvern for fellow professionals.