Beyond Adaptations: Launching Housing Without Delay

Nearly 20 years ago, the “Minor Adaptations Without Delay” initiative transformed access to simple home adaptations for older and disabled Housing Association residents. It empowered housing staff to act quickly, improving lives by reducing delays.

In 2019, the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) and Housing LIN expanded this with “Adaptations Without Delay,” emphasising larger adaptations and the expertise of occupational therapists.

Now, RCOT has commissioned Foundations to develop “Housing Without Delay,” with support from Closomat, to highlight occupational therapists’ vital role in broader housing solutions.

Housing Without Delay aims to integrate the home environment into all occupational therapy interventions. This initiative is not merely about adaptations; it recognises the potential of occupational therapists to influence housing outcomes across varied needs. The project comprises three components:

1. Strategic Document: Targeting health and social care leaders, this document will highlight how occupational therapists can shift from a reactive to a preventative care model by utilising the home environment as a health intervention. It will showcase occupational therapist contributions across housing design, allocation, and skill development for maintaining homes.
    
2. Operational Tools: Offering resources for operational managers, this section provides practical examples to optimise occupational therapist skills across housing, social care, and health sectors. It will include guidance on competencies and frameworks for implementation.
    
3. Practitioner Resources: This final component will provide tools and frameworks for practitioners interested in expanding their practice into housing, supporting direct client work.

Jeremy Porteus, CEO of Housing LIN, commented: 

“I am very pleased to see that funding has been secured to refresh this essential resource. Adaptions without Delay is a vital document for anyone professionally involved in aids and adaptations services and delivering speedier results for older or disabled householders.  With additional funding for Disabled Facilities Grants recently announced and a growing self-funder market, we look forward to sharing our expertise and engaging Housing LIN members to capture the latest sector developments, research and innovations that have taken place since our 2019 edition for RCOT.”