MHA Communities

MHA Active is our FREE lifestyle and wellness app with activities and exercises specifically created with older people in mind. Helping to keep your mind and body active. Download, sign up and join in.

Learn more about our online activities >

One of our most popular services, befriending is exactly what it sounds like – getting people together to make friends.

Many older people living in their own homes can become isolated and lonely, but with a regular weekly visit - perhaps to read the paper to a visually impaired person, or to play cards or accompany a member with their grocery shop - MHA Communities can help stop this from happening.

Our trained volunteer befrienders are matched with scheme members based on their interests and personalities by their local scheme manager. We offer all types of befriending, including face-to-face, telephone and online.

Learn more about our befriending services >>

A chance to get out of the house, have a hot, balanced meal - and not have to do the washing up!

Sometimes it’s not easy or even possible for people just to pop out for their essentials.

There are three ways a scheme might provide an assisted shopping service: it may be a one-to-one trip with a volunteer, a volunteer doing the shopping for someone, or a group trip, possibly in a minibus or community transport. There might also be additional services for Christmas shopping!

Learn more about our assisted shopping trips >>

It’s not just lunch and breakfast – many communities services hold clubs for crafts, games, activities, exercise and making friends.

Often based around coffee mornings, these clubs are a chance for members to get together, have some fun and company and enjoy an activity.

Promoting physical wellbeing, many Communities offer varied and interesting exercise classes to encourage members to keep active and mobile. All classes are designed to be as inclusive as possible so that members of all physical abilities are able to take part.

Learn more about our social clubs >>

Many schemes arrange daily telephone calls to check on a person to make sure he or she is alright and offer reassurance.

If there is no answer or there is a cause for concern, the volunteer caller can inform the next of kin or relevant service.

Some schemes also provide telephone prompts to members as reminders for appointments or other key dates.

A key part of independence is being able to get out and about. MHA Communities frequently use volunteer drivers, minibuses and community transport to enable members to get to activities or medical appointments (eligibility criteria and charges apply).

It’s a constantly changing world. Many Communities offer classes in various life skills such as IT and how to get the most out of the internet.

If older people find themselves in a situation where they need some outside support (perhaps after a medical diagnosis or personal crisis), MHA Communities will signpost members to any local services and agencies that can help.

Information and advice services are confidential and designed to enable people to make an informed decision about the options available to them. It may be carried out through one-to-one befriending, attendance at activities, telephone or visits to the service.

In addition, the local newsletter will keep them informed of the scheme’s latest news, upcoming events and activities, welfare initiatives and other community services that may be of interest.

Many schemes are dementia friendly and provide specific services to meet our members’ needs. 

These range from dementia friendly meetings in cafes which are suitable for people living with dementia and their carers to dementia friendly walking sessions at local parks

Learn more about our dementia friendly communities >>