Community support groups and organisations

There are a number of groups and organisations both nationally and within Tower Hamlets that provide advice and support to vulnerable, disabled or elderly people and their carers.

Useful links:

Download the database of care and support organisations in Tower Hamlets (Excel 87kb)

Download Domiciliary Care Rates (PDF 93kb)

Elderly people:

• Age Concern - The UK's leading charities concerned with the needs and aspirations of older people.
• Age Positive - Age Positive is a government initiative which tackles age discrimination and promotes age diversity in the workplace.
• Alzheimer's Society - The Alzheimer's Society provides advice and support to people with dementia and their carers.
• Carers - For carers, voluntary organisations and others, related to the national strategy for Caring about Carers, and providing useful links.
• Contact the Elderly - Seeks to reduce the isolation for older people who live alone, by providing social occasions such as monthly tea parties.
• Help the Aged - A leading national charity for older people.
• IndependentAge - A philanthropic organisation providing financial support and friendship for older people (previously known as RUKBA).

Disabled people:

• AbilityNet - are a charity that offers advice to people with disabilities on all aspects of computer usage for employment, communication, education, or just for fun.
• Action for Blind People - is a national charity which aims to enable blind and partially sighted people to enjoy equal opportunities in every aspect of their lives through work, leisure, housing and support.
• Alzheimers society - Alzheimer's Society is a membership organisation, which works to improve the quality of life of people affected by dementia in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
• Disabled Information Advice Line (DIAL) - DIAL provides a link to information for people with disabilities, and to advice providers.
• Disability Sport England - creates opportunities for participation in sport for people with all disabilities.
• Epilepsy Action (British Epilepsy Association) - The Epilepsy Action helpline provides advice and information on all aspects of living with epilepsy. They aim to reply to helpline queries by email within 48 hours.
• Headway - Promotes understanding of all aspects of brain injury; and provides information, support and services to people with a brain injury, their family and carers.
• Keep Able - Provides mobility and lifestyle ideas.
• MENCAP - Working with people with a learning disability, and their families and carers.
• MIND - Mind is the leading mental health charity in England and Wales who works to create a better life for everyone with experience of mental distress.
• MS society - The MS Society is the UK's largest charity for people affected by Multiple Sclerosis (MS) - in the UK. They are a membership organisation.
• National Society for Epilepsy (NSE) - is the largest UK medical charity for epilepsy. The website offers information about epilepsy and about the NSE, frequently asked questions, personal accounts of living with epilepsy, a message board and more.
• Parkinsons society - Have networks across the UK with nurses and specialist advisors that offer support and advice. They are fund research and campaign.
• Rethink - Helping everyone affected by severe mental illness, including schizophrenia, to recover a better quality of life.
• Royal Association in Aid of Deaf people (RAD) - strives to meet the individual needs of deaf children and adults and deaf-blind people through the provision of services and the use of RAD Centres for Deaf People.
• Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB) - If you need to register as blind, contact the RNIB.
• Royal National Institute for deaf and hard of hearing people (RNID) - trained, dedicated and professional information line officers who provide free, confidential and impartial information to deaf and hard of hearing people, their families, friends, and professionals in Tower Hamlets.
• Scope - helps people with cerebral palsy to achieve equality in society.
• SeeAbility (Royal School for the Blind) - works with adults who are blind or partially sighted, and have a range of additional disabilities. The charity works to encourage people's independence and to enhance their quality of life. They are also involved in research projects and training courses for professionals who work with people who are blind or partially sighted.
• Spinal injuries association - The Spinal Injuries Association (SIA) is the leading national charity for spinal cord injured people. They are unique in that we are a user led organisation with all our Trustees being spinal cord injured themselves.
• Stroke society - The Stroke Association is the only UK wide charity solely concerned with combating stroke in people of all ages. It funds research into prevention, treatment and better methods of rehabilitation, and helps stroke patients and their families directly through its Rehabilitation and Support Services.
• Vitalise - provides respite for carers, and holidays for people with severe physical disabilities. 

Employment & training for adults with a disability

There are a number of organisations in Tower Hamlets that assist with employment and training for adults with a disability, these include:

• dito – working with adults with disabilities of all kinds
  40-50 Southern Grove, E3 4PX
  Email: info@ditoth.org
• Shaw Trust – working with people with learning disabilities
  St Peter’s Centre
  Reardon Street, E1W 2QH
  Visit: http://www.shaw-trust.org.uk/
• The Tower Project - working with people with disabilities of all kinds and none
  45-55 Whitehorse Road, E1 0ND
  Visit: http://www.towerproject.org.uk/
• Apasenth – working with people with learning disabilities from the Bangladeshi community
  The Brady Centre
  192-196 Hanbury Street, E1 5HU
  Email: apasenth@btconnect.com
• Vopel – working with people with learning disabilities from the Bangladeshi community
  The Garrett Centre
  45 Blythe Street, E2 6LN
  Tel: 020 7739 9272
  Email: vopelld@aol.com
• Working Well Trust - working with people with mental health difficulties
  359 High Street
  Stratford, E15 4QZ
  Tel: 020 8519 9196
  Visit: http://www.workingwell-trust.co.uk/

Other useful links:

• Wise Owls is run by, and for, the over 45s / 50s and is dedicated to tackling ageism.

Please contact the organisations directly, although access to many of these services is via a community care assessment, which will include an assessment of needs related to employment or vocational support opportunities.

To make a referral for a community care assessment, contact the council’s Social Care Team:

6^th Floor Anchorage House
2 Clove Crescent
London E14 1BY
Tel: 020 7364 3838
Email: adultcare@towerhamlets.gov.uk