Following exceptional member feedback, Foresters Friendly Society has extended its existing service provided by RedArc Nurses for its 73,000 members.*A dedicated personal nurse adviser service, provided by RedArc, has been included in the Society’s membership support package for over 13 years, “Foresters Care”. This provides long-term practical advice and emotional support for serious illness, disability, trauma and bereavement, including a second medical opinion service.
In addition, Foresters is now offering a new area of support to its members: “Foresters Help at Home”, this provides personal and domestic help for members at times of incapacity, such as after discharge from hospital or whilst recovering from a serious illness when practical and emotional support is often required.
Both the Foresters Care and Help at Home services, are available to members of any age with no requirement to disclose pre-existing medical conditions. Specifically, the new Help at Home service extends to:
- Personal care, such as help with getting up, washing, dressing, going to the bathroom and going to bed.
- Domestic duties, such as light housework, meal preparation, and shopping.
- Assistance with collecting prescriptions.
- For many years, the Society has offered grants to assist with a stay in a convalescent home, but after extensive consultation with members, decided to extend this to also offer practical help within members’ homes.
Myles Edwards, Membership Director for Foresters Friendly Society said: “With the needs of our members constantly changing, it is important that as a member centric organisation, we listen to their feedback and enhance our benefits to suit them. We recognise that an increasing number of members are struggling with the challenges of both work and home life, with constantly changing circumstances and external pressures, so it is vital that holistic support is available. With our new adaptable help at home service offering, we hope to reduce stress for our members recovering from illness, surgery as well as those needing daily practical and emotional support from the comfort of their own homes.
“This new service is just one way we have enhanced our membership benefits to provide members with relevant, valuable and practical help when they really need it and have nowhere else to turn. As a mutual organisation, we’re in the fortunate position of being able to distribute our profits back to our policyholders for funding of the things that matter most. In 2017, Foresters Friendly Society supported our members with nearly £1million in the form of discretionary grants and charitable donations. The Help at Home service is the latest milestone in our ongoing commitment as a modern mutual to develop new services our members value.”
Christine Husbands, managing director for RedArc says: “Being medically well enough to leave hospital is not the same as being better, and many people need some extra support when they return home. Similarly, someone recuperating after a serious illness who might be in their own home but may not be sufficiently recovered to be entirely independent may also need extra support. In both of these situations, even if the individual is entitled to extra help via the NHS or social services, it can take some time for this to be activated, so offering Help at Home gives Foresters’ members added support and peace of mind at times of ill health.”
A patient survey undertaken to assess the quality and impact of the existing service was conducted by RedArc, and included the following feedback from Foresters members:
“For Foresters to offer this service shows they are interested and care for their customers.”
“I have a high regard for Foresters but this additional support service is a bonus.”
“I am very grateful for this support. It is nice to belong to a group who care about their members.”
“Filling in the Foresters form was the best thing I ever did.”
*Forester’s customers become members by taking out one of the Society’s savings plans, over 50s life cover or via its social membership policy.