The success of the Cara project meant that Leeds Irish Health & Homes were keen to take their learning and experiment further, this time setting out deliberately to offer support to the loneliest and most isolated older people. They hoped that by working with skilled staff they would be able to help some people whose isolation had become entrenched to take a chance and reconnect with the community.

Read the Cara Too end of project report

The project started to work in care homes but the logistics proved too difficult in many cases, so they moved to working with residents in sheltered housing.

They planned to run hybrid sessions before digital was popular with older people, and although the sessions never got off the ground it put the project in a good position to be able to offer support during the Covid pandemic.

To find out more about the Cara Too project and their learning you can read the end of project report.

You can also read an evaluation of CARA and the initial work undertaken with the Irish community in Leeds.

Jessica Duffy
Good Practice Mentor