HUNDREDS of pensioners are helped every year by three projects, organised by the charity Age Concern, but largely funded by the health service.

The schemes assist elderly people coming out of hospital, provide support for exhausted carers and offer a social club for people with dementia.

But today Sally Hutchinson, chief officer with Age Concern in York, spoke of her concerns that the crucial funding could be cut as health chiefs seek to claw back a £23 million deficit.

She said she still did not know whether it would receive renewed grants next year from the new North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust.

"I am very worried," she said.

"These are really important schemes. It's so horrible and stressful for everybody not knowing for certain if the funding will be available again for next year.

"Trying to prepare a budget for next year is impossible until I know if we are going to get the funding."

She said the charity's hospital service scheme operated out of an office at York Hospital. Volunteers and staff helped elderly people after they went back home following a spell in hospital, for example after having a hip operation.

The service, which was particularly valuable for people without relatives able to help out, helped prevent problems developing which could result in patients having to be re-admitted to hospital.

She said the charity's In Safe Hands scheme involved providing a crucial break for carers looking after elderly relatives, who were often suffering from dementia.

"We can give people a chance to go out and carry on with their lives, or sometimes our staff or volunteers will stay over in people's home so that people can have a night away or even longer for a holiday."

The third scheme involved a day club for people suffering from dementia, which was held at Cherry Tree House, in Heworth, York, and which gave them opportunities to take part in social activities and meet up with other people.

Pensioner Ruth Helliwell, 82, of Heworth, said she was helped by Age Concern's scheme after she returned home following a total hip replacement operation in August.

Helpers first did her shopping for her and then accompanied her on shopping trips as her confidence returned. "They made a lot of difference," she said.

"They generally helped out. It's a very important scheme, and it would be very bad if there was a problem with the funding."