We are thrilled to share that both Newham Council and Lambeth Council have started working with Living Made Easy to commission AskSARA licences, joining our existing licensees across the UK. The local authorities are using the tool to enhance and increase independent living within their communities.
AskSARA, Living Made Easy's online self-assessment tool, offers rapid access to impartial advice on products and services tailored to promote independent living for older and disabled individuals. Incorporating AskSARA into front door triage services enables local authorities to provide residents with an empowering opportunity to make informed choices. This impartial and localised access to suitable assistive technology and services enhance the ability of older, disabled people and those with health conditions, to live independently.
The self-assessment tool offers:
- Reduced waiting times for assessments
- Enables friends and family to support with care remotely
- Independent and impartial advice
- Individual report written by occupational therapist
- Largest and only impartial database of assistive technology in Europe
- Complies with the Care Act 2014
- Frees up time for occupational therapists to complete more complex cases
- The ability to create topics, services and products which are needs-led to your demographic
- Annually assessed for accessibility
Every AskSARA licence is completely customisable, allowing for the creation of a bespoke tool, tailored to include individual signposting to services and campaigns. Crafted by occupational therapists in accordance with the Care Act 2014, the tool undergoes regular updates to incorporate new questioning tiles, ensuring comprehensive support across a wide range of topics. Additionally, each licensee receives a monthly analytics report detailing tool usage, including insights into user demographics and popular topics for assessment reports.
Furthermore, if required, we can offer assistance to our licensees in promoting and enhancing the visibility of their AskSARA tool, ensuring it reaches and benefits as many residents as possible.
Newham Council launched AskSARA in May 2023, and although it is relatively new, they have already seen almost 400 residents carrying out self-assessments.
Councillor Neil Wilson, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care said:
“AskSARA has supported hundreds of Newham residents in the form of on-line guided advice, self-assessments and appropriate referrals. Newham’s approach of helping users to make informed choices based on their needs has been praised as an example elsewhere. The service has taken care to consider how AskSARA fits in with our overall Occupational Therapy pathway. We aim to ensure all opportunities are being accessed and nobody is left out – with almost 400 people carrying out self-assessments since the launch May 2023.
“We are well aware that not everyone has access to the internet and we, therefore, have provision in place to ensure that we are avoiding digital exclusion. We have a dedicated site within our community where those in need can get face-to-face guidance to ensure they have access to the same advice and support as those who are able to use the on-line technology.
“AskSARA is one of hundreds of tools and services available via Well Newham. Our advisors ensure they signpost residents appropriately. Again, this is another example of how all opportunities are being identified. We are pleased so many people in our community are benefitting.”
Launching in November 2023, Lambeth Council are the latest London borough to join our AskSARA licensees. They are actively promoting their new self-assessment tool by disseminating information through email to their news subscriber list, featuring an article on their Love Lambeth website (which you can read here), and collaborating with us to develop publicity materials like bookmarks and posters for distribution in libraries and doctors' surgeries.
Councillor Marcia Cameron, Lambeth’s join Cabinet Lead for Healthier Communities, says:
“It’s good to have this help live on our website for local people to use as ensuring people are able to live independently is so important.
I ask that anyone who might have a concern about a friend or relative’s ability to cope at home, or anyone who may be concerned about their own ability to live independently in future, to browse the site and get familiar with the wide range of support available.
Sometimes a little help at home can make life so much safer, easier and better for those facing challenges with independent living.”
Promotional material created for Newham Council.
Promotional bookmark created for Lambeth Council.
Newham Council and Lambeth Council's decision to become licensees demonstrates their commitment to enhancing the quality of life and independence for residents within their communities. We are always delighted to receive feedback on the tangible impact that our AskSARA tool is having on local authority communities. Hearing directly from them about the value it brings to their frontline services is incredibly rewarding.
Keep an eye out next month for our article about our AskSARA licensees in Wales. Please click here if you’d like to view a list of our current AskSARA licensees.
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