LINks - the Housing LIN's essential weekly bulletin (w/c 14 Dec 2015)

Welcome to LINks, the weekly e-bulletin from the Housing LIN (Learning and Improvement Network) where we put a selection of latest information, resources and events under the spotlight. In this issue we draw your attention to the following:

Seaons's Greetings

New Housing LIN resources

Multi-Generational Homes: Building a Community for all Ages

Cover Case Study 116This new Housing LIN case study by Sophie Morley at Archadia architects features the award winning development, Castlemaine Court, in Byfleet, Surrey. Designed to offer affordable, fully accessible, high-quality, multi-generational, sustainable one and two-bedroom homes for people of all ages, it replaced a low-demand bedsit accommodation for older people. It was recognised earlier this year as the best designed development in the Inside Housing Top 60 developments of 2015.

Download from: www.housinglin.org.uk/CastlemaineCourt_CaseStudy (opens new window)

Smart Hamlets: Putting people and communities at the heart of development

Schumacher institute logoWritten by Michael Clinton, Initiatives Homes at the Schumacher Institute, this new Housing LIN blog sets out a vision to bring accessible, affordable, and sustainable homes into the mainstream through the 'Smart Hamlets' concept. The approach seeks to build, grow and support local communities by putting people at the heart of the design process, meeting their needs and aspirations.

Find out more at: http://www.housinglin.org.uk/Topics/type/resource/?coid=9945&msg=0


Relaunch of the Telecare LIN Monthly Newsletter

Telecare LIN logo 2015 - Purple

Welcome to the December 2015 Newsletter and weekly News Headlines from the Telecare Learning and Improvement Network.

Telecare eNewsletter December 2015

Please choose your preferred format (doc or pdf):

Telecare News Headlines 17 December 2015

This week's news headlines from the Telecare LIN can be downloaded in two formats (doc; pdf) at


Finalists announced in National Housing for Older People Awards 2015EAC Awards 2015 logoEAC Awards 2015 logo gold

Over 4,000 residents living in 360 later life housing developments across the UK have nominated their scheme as 'best in their class' in EAC's annual housing for older people awards. Supported by the Housing LIN, the Awards will be presented at the Hilton Deansgate in Manchester on 17th February 2016 where the bronze, silver and gold awards winners will be announced.

For details on those shortlisted, visit: http://www.housingcare.org/providers/housing-for-older-people-awards-2015.aspx (opens new window)


Marmot Indicators 2015

Launched by the Institute of Health Equity, this new set of indicators of the social determinants of health, health outcomes and social inequality, that broadly correspond to the six policy recommendations proposed in Sir Michael Marmot's influential 2010 report, 'Fair Society, Healthy Lives'. From the following link, you can also access data on health inequalities by top-tier local authority area.

More at: https://www.instituteofhealthequity.org/projects/marmot-indicators-2015#163961_20151202030417 (opens new window)


Housing commission launched to investigate new routes to house buildingLGA logo

The Local Government Association has launched a Housing Commission to explore new routes to house building so councils can enable the building of more desperately-needed homes. One of the areas of interest is health and quality of life for an ageing population - the role of housing in adapting to an ageing population and preventing onward costs onto social care and health services. If you would like to contribute, please email submissions by 26 February 2016 to LGAhousingcommission@local.gov.uk (opens new window).

More at: http://www.local.gov.uk/housing/-/journal_content/56/10180/7594397/NEWS (opens new window)


Community BuildersDemos Logo

This new report by think-tank DEMOS looks at how best to empower citizens to take a leading role in improving their communities and contribute to local economic growth, with a particular focus on housing designed and managed by local people. Highlighting best practice, it finds that communities are more likely to support local house-building if they are given more say over where and what is built, and in particular, if community members take a lead in developing a proposal.

For more info, go to: http://www.housinglin.org.uk/Topics/browse/HousingOlderPeople/UserInvolvement/?parent=3667&child=9961 (opens new window)


Towards an Age-Friendly Europe: Launch of the EU Covenant on Demographic Change

AFE-INNOVNETThe AFE-INNOVNET Thematic Network on innovation for age-friendly environments is very pleased to launch the Covenant on Demographic Change. The Covenant is set to become the new EU-wide association gathering local, regional and national authorities, civil society organisations, universities, and businesses that commit to cooperate and implement evidence-based solutions to support active and healthy ageing as a comprehensive answer to Europe's demographic challenge.

More at: www.agefriendlyeurope.org/covenant (opens new window)


Low-income retirees, financial position and wellbeingJRT logo

This research published by the JRF looks at the relationship between income, wealth and the experience of retirement of low-income older households. It finds that different levels of low income, around or below the government's guaranteed minimum income level for older people, do not lead to different experiences of retirement. It found that non-housing wealth, such as 'buffer savings', are what makes the difference in people's experiences of retirement.

Read at: http://www.housinglin.org.uk/Topics/browse/Housing/HousingforOlderPeople/?parent=8955&child=9948 (opens new window)


Retirement Borrowing: reality, perceptions, projections and potentialCouncil of mortage lenders logo

The Council of Mortgage Lenders has outlined a range of recommendations for regulators, government and the mortgage industry itself to improve the market for older consumers who legitimately wish to borrow in retirement to meet various needs. It's report shows how complex and interconnected the issues are when lending to older borrowers. The overarching message is that improving this market in a meaningful way requires significant collaboration both inside and outside the mortgage industry.

View at: http://www.housinglin.org.uk/Topics/browse/Housing/HousingforOlderPeople/?&msg=0&parent=8955&child=9947 (opens new window)


The anatomy of resilience: helps and hindrances as we age

Social Services Improvement Agency logoThis report from the Social Services Improvement Agency looks at the published evidence from Wales, the UK, and further afield on ageing and links to an 'anatomy of resilience' in Wales. With a principal goal of the Social Services and Well-being Wales Act being to enable people as they age to overcome the barriers which prevent them from achieving and maintaining well-being and to do so as far as possible without having to turn to formal social care interventions, it makes a significant contribution to the literature, designed so that people can find their way readily and quickly to the best evidence that exists, including reference to home, housing and the wider environment.

Find at: http://www.housinglin.org.uk/HousingRegions/Wales/Research-and-good-practice/?parent=9033&child=9967 (opens new window)


Home Truths 2015

In recent weeks, the NHF has published a series of booklets outlining the pressingNHF logo housing characteristics in each region of England. These can be accessed from each of the Housing LIN's regional pages at:

http://www.housinglin.org.uk/HousingRegions (opens new window)


"What Works" research project into dementia training and education

A research project called "What Works", commissioned by the Department of Health, on behalf of Health Education England and supported by Skills for Care and Skills for Health; has been asked to find out about the most important ingredients for effective dementia training and education. They need your help to find out what training on dementia is currently being delivered/commissioned around the UK. They are asking all care providers, training providers and training commissioners to complete an online national survey about the training they deliver or implement in their organisation. It should take around 20 minutes to complete.

Access the survey at: http://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/pages/what-works/ (opens new window)


And lastly, this is our last weekly bulletin of 2015. On behalf of the Housing LIN team we would like to wish all our members, partners and supporters Season's Greetings. We look forward to networking with you in 2016.

Stay connected with the Housing LIN for latest news, views and resources on housing with care matters.