Upload
others
View
0
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
New Light Through
Old Windows Changing the face of
Sheltered Housing
Key to sustainable sheltered housing
Would you want to live in your sheltered housing?
Context
2
Context • The housing supply debate is not addressing older people’s
housing needs (supply, quality & adaptability)
o 1 in 4 over 60s are interested in a ‘retirement property’
& 1 in 3 want to downsize – but…
o Only 2% of UK housing is specialist older people – 450k
homes to rent & only 100k to buy (US = 17%, Oz = 13%)
o New build does not meet the needs/wants of older
people & existing homes are not readily adaptable to
meet needs & support independent living
• The UK has 12.2m pensioners – the same as Finland, Latvia,
Lithuania, Estonia & Genovia
• SW has UK’s highest proportion of older people (40 per cent)
& 6 of the top 20 retirement counties
• 23% of SW retirees have less than the 'Minimum Income
Standard' (£8,600 - single person or £12,500 for couple)
Context • Life expectancy has increased from 71 in 1960 to 79.5 for
men & 83.5 for women
• But HEALTHY life expectancy means men will have 15 years
& women 17 years of ill-health
• 4.6m pensioners experience disability/long-term illness –
this will double in the next 20 years
• One third of babies born today will live to 100
• We face a “silver tsunami” – large growth in older groups
especially 75+ - acute in rural areas (growth of 47% vs 90% by
2029)
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
Under 25 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75-84 85+
2012
2037
Context
Who lives in sheltered housing? • Sheltered housing residents are increasingly diverse – wide
range of expectations, needs & ages
• Residents are older & frailer than those who lived in the
schemes when originally built – often living with dementia or
chronic ill-health
• Increasing numbers of younger people – most have no care
or support needs but others have complex needs
• More residents need to continue to work
• These ‘imbalances’ make it harder to provide a service that
meets all tenants needs & aspirations
Who lives in sheltered housing?
15%
26%
34%
26%
45-64 65-74 75-84 85+
The average age
of residents is
around 80
Small but
steady increase
in the number
of younger
residents Over a quarter
are aged 85
years & over
Who moves into sheltered housing?
1.04% 1.88%
7.44% 6.31%
4.14%
1.98% 1.22%
3.20%
19.77%
19.11%
16.20%
9.23%
0.28%
0.19%
1.04%
1.51%
2.54%
3.01%
0.00%
5.00%
10.00%
15.00%
20.00%
25.00%
30.00%
under 45 45-54 55-64 65-74 75-84 85+
Low support Medium support High support
Over a
third of
new lets to
75+
Over a third of
new lets are to
under 65s
Less than 1 in 25
have ‘high’
support needs
Would you want to die in your sheltered housing?
What’s ‘wrong’ with sheltered housing?
• Still seen as ‘modern’ - often built in the late 60s as homes
for the children of the 19th century!
• Homes are often small – between 30m² & 35m²
• Bedsits? – conversion to one bed flats or ‘shoe-horning’ of
bathrooms to create self-contained unit
• Poor layout - communal doors difficult to use, changes in
levels & no lift access to first floor
• Problems with fire compartmentation & means of escape
• Services are out-dated (district heating, communal
laundries) difficult to access & repair (asbestos!)
• Under-utilised ‘guest’ rooms, scheme manager’s office &
external drying areas
• Capital improvements - new kitchens, bathrooms, heating
windows & roofs – but were these the ‘best option’?
What does it look like?
What do residents want?
• Nothing very specialised!
o ‘own front door’ with two bedrooms & modern &
spacious bathrooms & kitchens
o space for parking & mobility scooters
o attractive communal areas & grounds that are private &
in a quiet location
o regular contact with polite & friendly staff with
targeted support where needed
o access to shops & local amenities
o opportunities to choose to participate/socialise
o a landlord that keeps promises especially on repairs &
maintenance
o safe & secure – prevent neighbour problems & deals
with them if they arise – appropriate allocation?
Ark’s methodology
Continuous review & refinement
What are the typical options? • Re-defining the structure of the service
o Modernising the ‘scheme manager‘ role
o Hub & spoke model - providing support to residents in
the scheme or in the wider community
o ‘Floating’ support to all residents in an area
• Improved definition of the content of the service
o ‘Ring-fenced’ housing management service with link to
support services
o Use of assistive technology & telecare to augment
support
o More choice & personalisation of services (variable
charging using a ‘menu approach’)
What are the typical options? • The ‘as is’ option works where the building is fit for the
future & matches future local ‘demand’
• The ‘remodel’ option works where there is a clear demand
but work needed to meet modern standards:
o Remove bedsits & improve space standards
o introduce some 2 bed accommodation
o reduction in ‘specialist’ facilities like guest rooms or
communal laundries
o creation of scooter stores, better refuse storage & better
accessibility/fire safety
• The ‘remodelling’ plan often includes steps to allow future
exit from specialist use & could include changes in tenure
• Remodelling to extra care is rarely feasible or desirable -
requires scale– probably a minimum of 50 units
What are the typical options? • ‘Change of use’ where the building is ‘fit’ & matches an
unmet local ‘demand’
o Only minor improvement/adaptation needed to meet the
needs of another specialised group - temporary housing
for homeless households or for smaller schemes people
with learning difficulties or mental health issues
• ‘Redevelopment’ – may reflect condition/future
maintenance liabilities or low demand
o This option seeks to optimise development value
(difficult in some areas) and/or realigning supply to local
need/ demand
• ‘Disposal’ – as above driven by condition/demand factors
o likely to be with a view to its redevelopment or as part
of a stock rationalisation strategy - sold as a going
concern
Where next? • Agree a vision – what outcomes do you want sheltered
housing to deliver now & in the future
• Understand your housing market - ‘demand’ now & in the
future & competitors' relative position (& plans)
• Understand your stock – its condition, ‘attractiveness’,
performance & rate of return (sustainability)
• Challenge current service delivery (structure & content)
• Communicate! Create advocates among residents & partners
(social care, housing strategy, options & SP teams)
• Ensure you have capacity to deliver – finance & expertise
• Work with & learn from partners/peers/competitors (share
skills & resources)
• ‘Stick at it’ – maintain focus on the outcomes
• Challenge decision-makers to make the big decisions…
Are you balancing the needs of current residents with those of future users?
Contact Details
Kieran Colgan
Director of Housing
Ark Housing Consultancy
www.arkconsultancy.co.uk