IPC Assessing Regional Housing Markets and Developing Effective Strategies for Meeting Older Peoples Housing Demands in the South West Region June 2008

This Workshop  The IGP Project  Key issues  Good practice examples  What needs to happen

The IGP project  Learning set  Review of demographics  Review of supply  Case studies of innovation and good practice

Key issues (1) Current housing  Most older people will want to stay in their own homes for as long as possible. Need for: support, information and advice, handyperson, adaptations, equipment, telecare, better thermal comfort and reduced fuel poverty across tenures.  Limited home improvement services New housing  Age-proof through changes in the quality and supply of housing in the region. Lifetime Homes Standards by 2011 for all social housing, and all new housing is expected to be so by  How can neighbourhoods and wider service providers maximise independence?

Key issues (2) Sheltered housing  Much low demand sheltered housing due to the location, size, accessibility and condition of the housing. Many schemes will not meet future requirements. Need to establish whether stock is suitable, or can it be adapted at reasonable cost, or should it be replaced.  Uncertain impact of Choice Based Lettings and Individual Budgets  Difficult-to-sell private sector retirement housing may emerge due to current downturn in house sales

Key issues (3) Extra care housing  Very variable levels of provision. In many areas, more ECH for rent, shared ownership and sale will be needed. Local authorities can facilitate this through planning and provision of sites to RSLs and other providers. Older people with mental health needs and learning disabilities  Little provision of services or specialist accommodation

Key issues (4) Rural care and support  Lower proportion of younger people in rural areas will jeopardise ability to maintain older people in rural communities. Can professional roles be combined across housing, health and social care in alliance with assistive technology to maximise use of limited professional resources; and can levels of community support for older in-migrants who lack local informal care and support be raised? Limited diversity and innovation  Fits with government’s personalisation agenda, eg, retirement communities, home-sharing schemes, co- housing.

Key issues (5) Wider health and care economy  Innovations in the South West, eg, Gloucestershire Partnership for Older People Project, Whole System Demonstrator telecare pilot in Cornwall, retirement village concept, indicate potential to contribute to the health and well-being of older people. Partnership  LAs and RSLs need to work in partnership with a range of organisations, including: planners, PCTs, private and voluntary sector, older people, eg, joint commissioning of, and consortia, on new developments; purchase of accommodation in private or voluntary sector developments; public- private initiatives to refurbish and/or sell some of the existing sheltered housing stock.

Key issues (6)  Urgent need for comprehensive change in attitudes to housing - recognising implications of ageing society among professionals, from planners to providers. Homes and neighbourhoods suitable for older people needs to be the objective of all new developments.  Older people themselves need to be informed about their housing and support options in old age

Good Practice Examples  Estimating future needs for extra care housing  A partnership approach to developing very sheltered housing  Sheltered housing service review  Housing options service  Area based low level support services  Developing a cross-tenure independent living service  Mainstreaming assistive technology  A multi-tenure extra care scheme

Questions about the future  In authorities facing the biggest increases in numbers of older people is there a sense of urgency?  What capacity do we have to target services on those with greatest need / may get the greatest gain?  Is there an estimate of the quality and potential for the future use of sheltered housing? Is there a plan for re-modeling or disposal where appropriate?  What plans are in place for older people with dementia and other older people with specialist needs?

Questions about the future  Is your view across the whole market, ie people who will self fund and provision by the private and voluntary sector?  How close is the relationship to planning?  Is the assistive technology strategy separate or integrated with that of older people?  Is there any discussion locally about either interchangeability of roles eg, between housing support, care services and community health or function, eg, home care, supporting people, care and repair, assistive technology.