Extra Care Housing in the UK – A Systematic Scoping Review
This summary paper by the Evidence Synthesis Centre, University of Exeter, aims to summarise empirical research relating to Extra Care Housing [ECH] in the United Kingdom to inform commissioning of further research. It reveals that while there is a growing body of evidence supporting the provision of ECH as a model of housing for older people, given the changing health and social care landscape and increasing care needs of the population, further research is needed to support the future development of ECH.
Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research Health Services And Delivery Research team, it found specific research gaps include:
- guidance on choosing the most appropriate housing option
- best practice for supporting people with high care needs
- helping them transition from ECH to another care setting
- coordination between housing and care providers
- managing diverse and evolving communities, and
- including older people from social minority groups.
The findings also highlight the need for greater clarity on:
- what older people understand by Extra Care Housing, resonating with the recent Older People’s Housing Taskforce report
- what the provider ECH ‘offer’ is
- supporting residents with high and changing care needs
- describing the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and implementation of interventions within ECH
- undertaking further research on inclusivity, diversity and community impact.
If you found this of interest, check out the authors presentations at the Housing LIN annual conference in Bristol in March this year.