The Longest Wait to Leave

This Age UK (opens new window) report shows how delayed discharge is driving pressure across the health and care system, contributing to longer waits, corridor care and poorer outcomes for older people. It highlights the importance of practical, community-based support in helping older people leave hospital safely, recover well at home and avoid unnecessary readmission.

While the report makes great emphasis on helping older people get home to settle, it only makes passing references to housing; for example, the need for adaptations to facilitate a discharge back home following a hospital admission. It also reports that unsuitable/unsafe housing is not always being factored into discharge decisions. 

There is also no mention of how specialist accommodation such as extra care housing, with access to on-site care and support, could provide an ideal ‘step down’ solution, or how the use of digital technology or technology-enabled care can help facilitate the delivery of personalised care at home