LINks - latest Housing LIN weekly bulletin (w/c 13 April 2015)
Welcome to LINks, the weekly e-bulletin from the Housing LIN (Learning and Improvement Network). This week the housing news has been dominated by the pros and cons of the Conservative Party's announcement that, if elected, housing association tenants will have the right to buy their accommodation. In this week's issue, we put a selection of other news, latest information, new resources and forthcoming events on housing with care matters under the spotlight. In particular, we would like to draw your attention to the following:
Cost model: Extra Care Housing
This jointly published report with AECOM, Pozzoni Architects and the Housing LIN replaces case study No34 which provided an overview of extra care housing in general and concludes with a cost model based on a scheme of 16 self-contained single-bed flats and six two-bed homes located as a three-storey separate wing to a care home.
Launched at the CIH South West conference in Torquay this week, the new report provides an overview of the policy and funding drivers for extra care housing and give an updated cost model based on a recent extra care housing development in the North of England comprising 77 one and two bedroom apartments covering a gross internal area of 6,855 m2. Costs exclude site works and relate to 1st quarter 2015. More at: Cost model: Extra Care Housing (pdf - 773Kb)
Can our homes pay for the care we need in older age? Asset wealth and an ageing population
There is growing acceptance that people will need to make better use of their property wealth to adapt and manage care needs as they age. It is estimated that retired people have an estimated £1.4 trillion locked up in the value of their homes. However, despite this overall wealth, far too many retired people have scarcely enough income to enjoy a comfortable, healthy retirement.
This NHF report suggests that the current housing wealth and demands on the care system are making too many wide-ranging assumptions about the potential of asset wealth to solve the crisis in the social care system. With the introduction of the Care Act in April 2016, it recognises the absence of a mature market for products to enable people to optimise their wealth and assets to meet future care needs and calls for affordable solutions for housing and care in later life that are flexible for people with low and middle incomes who will not be able to use housing wealth to pay for care needs. Read at:
www.housinglin.org.uk/Topics/browse/Housing/Commissioning
Telecare LIN News Headlines: 16 April 2015
March 2015 was the last Telecare LIN newsletter supported by Innovate UK, KTN Ltd and the Assisted Living Innovation Platform and we would like to thank them for their support in recent years.
Going forward we need your support. To maintain a comprehensive monthly news summary going out to over 48,000 people, we are looking to crowdsource funding to support the website, content and hundreds of links and journal article references (opens new window) each month. We are currently looking for a number of organisations to support continuing production (including supplements, Twitter stream (opens new window), archive (opens new window)) at around the £5k level per year. The news service, currently in its tenth year is recognised as an authoritative source and valuable resource in the UK and in other parts of the world working on digital health, telehealth, mHealth, telemedicine and telecare.
Many people also value the extensive coverage of UK health and care policy as well as regular site listings and supplements (eg telehealth (opens new window), dementia (opens new window), long term conditions (opens new window)). This is, therefore, an opportunity not to be missed if your organisation would like to be associated with the sector-leading newsletter and our successful brand. You can email j.porteus@telecarelin.org.uk (opens new window) for details.
In the meantime, we will be providing a limited 'headline only' service for registered members of the website whilst we establish whether or not the crowdfunding approach is successful over the next three months. You can still follow Mike Clark on Twitter (@clarkmike - together with summaries on Storify (opens new window) and Rebelmouse (opens new window)) or Jeremy at @HousingLIN or on the Housing LIN homepage.This week's news headlines can be downloaded in two formats (doc; pdf) below:
- Telecare LIN News Headlines: 16 April 2015 (docx - 91Kb)
- Telecare LIN News Headlines: 16 April 2015 (pdf - 116Kb)
Supporting People in Wales
The Welsh Government's latest Supporting People Bulletin & Update is now available.
It refers to research and evaluation on supporting people arrangements for older people "based on need rather than age of tenure" on 2 task & finish groups in North Wales to look at services for people with learning disabilities and another on older people. More at: http://gov.wales
Sector wider survey 2014 in Wales
This report by CHC in Wales has a specific section on housing for older people (pp68-70) which will be of interest to Housing LIN Cymru members.
In particular, it highlights that the majority of older people were very or fairly satisfied with their housing with matters relating to accessibility, orientation, safety and security scoring over 90% and issues relating to support planning, on-site facilities and community alarm/telecare scoring in the mid to high 80%. More at: www.housinglin.org.uk/HousingRegions/Wales
Have your say - Housing First model
Homeless Link is running a short survey of Housing First to gain a better understanding of Housing First in England.
Your response will help us better understand the current capacity in the homelessness sector for the Housing First model and support further development and funding for Housing First. The survey is quite short and will only take 10 -15 minutes to complete. They are interested in hearing from
a) providers, local authorities or commissioners who are currently using or exploring using Housing First; and
b) providers who are not using Housing First but work with people who they think the Housing First model would be appropriate for.
The survey can be found here: www.surveymonkey.com/r/K7TXR89
Other events supported by the Housing LIN Dementia Leaders in Housing course - Bradford
'Action based learning to support excellence in person centred services for people living with dementia'
Sitra, the Association of Dementia Studies, at the University of Worcester, and the Housing Learning and Improvement Network (LIN) have come together in a learning partnership to deliver an innovative dementia leaders programme specifically for the housing sector. More info and bookings at:
CIH Annual Conference & Exhibition
The Housing LIN is delighted to be supporting the Health and Housing 'hub' at this year's CIH conference in Manchester (23-25 June). Come and meet the team. More at: www.cihhousing.com
Enhanced health in care homes: Developing integrated care: what role do care homes play?
Jeremy will be chairing a session which will focus on housing based models of care at this King's Fund event in London 2 July 2015. Register at: www.kingsfund.org.uk
Stay networked with the Housing LIN for latest news, views and resources on housing with care matters.