In 2015 Josie called the emergency services 217 times, and during the first six months of 2016 she called them 216 times – at an average of £170 per call, it cost the Ambulance Service at total of £73,610.

Loneliness can be a terrible thing, and when coupled with mental ill health the effects can not only be debilitating for the individual, but also very costly for the public purse.

When Josie was constantly calling the Ambulance Service she had been living on her own for 14 years. She felt lonely, particularly in bad weather or when it was noisy outside. Where she lived had bars on the windows and a lot of the 999 calls from Josie were made in the early hours of the morning when she was struggling to cope the most.

Fast forward to May 2018 and, thanks to social services suggesting a move to Bromford’s new MyPlace scheme at Wood Hayes Place in Wolverhampton, Josie is a completely different person.

Since moving in to her new apartment on 13 November 2017 only four 999 calls have been logged by the Ambulance Service.

Josie says that she feels comfortable in her new home, reassured and supported that there’s somebody there to talk to 24 hours a day should she feel lonely or isolated. She no longer has bars to look at and she now enjoys spending time watching the birds in her garden and being supported to take part in activities in the local community. She knows that she is not alone anymore and as such no longer feels the need to constantly call the emergency services.

Josie says that whenever she does feel stressed she takes the opportunity to sit and watch TV in the communal area (The Hub) with other customers or staff, or listen to her music.

Catherine Ashley, MyPlace manager said;" Since moving into Wood Hayes Place, Josie has settled in remarkably well and developed positive relations with both staff and customers.

"The feedback from other professionals involved with Josie has been very positive and they can see an improvement in her mental health.

"The support Josie receives at Wood Hayes Place has enabled her to focus on a healthy lifestyle, which is a goal she has wanted to achieve for a very long time.

Josie constantly brings a lot of joy to the scheme adding to the overall atmosphere in a positive way, quite often when the music is on, Josie can be found dancing in the hub. She loves to show off her ball room dancing moves.

Whilst it hasn’t all been plain sailing, Josie’s infectious laugh has got us all through it!"

If you, or anybody you know could benefit from living at one our MyPlace schemes, please click on the link below to find out more.