Widening the spectrum of retirement housing in Tower Hamlets

This report from Tower Hamlets Older People's Housing Commission, supported by Gateway Housing Association, captures its work to make a positive contribution to local strategy development. As well as strengthen the local evidence base and to ensure that Gateway's own development strategies are well aligned with the latest knowledge of best practice. The Commission sought to develop a deeper understanding of the specific housing issues older people experience living in Tower Hamlets, the types of housing they need and to which they aspire and the type of housing "products" they want. By talking directly to older people, the Commission achieved a more holistic and deeply informed understanding of how local accommodation based services can best fit the local social context. The findings contribute both to local service innovation and to future strategy development in older people's services in Tower Hamlets as well as more widely across the older people's accommodation sector.