Housing LIN celebrates Mental Health Awareness Week
This week marked Mental Health Awareness Week, an important opportunity to recognise the close connection between housing and mental wellbeing. At Housing LIN, we are proud to support conversations and action that highlight how safe, suitable and secure housing can positively influence mental health outcomes for people of all ages, including older adults.
As part of the week, we hosted our recent HAPPI Hour webinar, “Strengthening Mental Wellbeing through Housing for an Ageing Population in Wales”, which explored how housing, care and support services can work together to improve wellbeing in later life. The session featured expert speakers from across housing, health and academia, sharing practical insights, policy perspectives and examples of good practice.
Watch the webinar recording + download speaker slides
We continue to welcome blogs and shared learning on this important topic, such as this insightful contribution from Faye Sanders, Doctoral Researcher at the University of Bath. In her Housing LIN guest blog titled, "Unravelling the Links between Housing Quality and Mental Health: It’s in our DNA", Faye examines how poor housing quality can affect mental health through both social and biological pathways.
Research using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study found that DNA methylation may partly explain links between housing conditions and depressive symptoms. She also explores how wider factors, including socioeconomic status, mobility and access to infrastructure, influence health and wellbeing.
We also host a wide range of resources on mental health and housing through our website. These resources offer practical information on how suitable housing options, related services and timely interventions can respond to the needs of people with specific mental health conditions and improve health and wellbeing.