HLINks - This week’s essential news, views, resources and upcoming events from the Housing LIN
A very Happy New Year to our readers from all of us at the Housing LIN and welcome to #Jeremytalks and my weekly piece to audio to coincide with our must-read weekly bulletin, HLINks, week-ending Friday, 8 January. This is the first issue of 2021.
In case you missed it, on New Year's Eve we released a month-by-month review of 2020 highlighting some of the key resources we were commissioned to write and/or published ourselves last year, along with a selection of activities and events we organised, including our successful virtual December Summit.
This week, we published a guest blog on almshouses to coincide with the report by RICS that came out last month, as featured in our final issue of HLINks in 2020. We are also promoting our first #HAPPIHour of 2021. This takes place on 28 January and will focus on almshouses in a lot more detail. Do join us.
Hot on the heels of our virtual Summit 2020, the Later Life Audio and Radio Cooperative (LLARC) have released their first interview with one of our guest speakers. In #HousingMatters, LLARC talk to Margaret Edwards, the Housing LIN’s London chair, about our new CollaborAGE directory and also how she has age-proofed her home.
In this week’s HLINks, you can also take tour of our curated round-up of other news and events on later life living with regard to homes and communities, health and social care, design and technology, planning matters and more, including reference to the Health Foundation report on the links between health and housing and the impact of Covid-19.
Check these out and register here to keep in touch with all our news alerts and other notifications of your choice, sent direct to your inbox. And remember you can also follow us via our Twitter feeds: @HousingLIN, @HousingLINews and @HLINConsult
Lastly, if you would like to talk to us about any matters highlighted in this week’s issue, share learning about your work and/or discuss how our consultancy services can assist you, email ‘Jeremy talks’ at: info@housinglin.org.uk.
You can also listen to #Jeremytalks… here
Thanks for listening, stay connected and, above all, be safe during the new lockdown.
Jeremy
New Housing LIN resources
A look back at the Housing LIN 2020 monthly highlights
With so much taking place last year, we have pulled together a selection of highlights month by month, showcasing some of the key resources and activities we have undertaken pre- and during COVID-19.
Learning from English and Dutch almshouses
This new blog for the Housing LIN summarises the new RICS Research Trust report and provides ideas and examples of how new almshouses can help to meet housing need and complement local strategies for housing, care and support.
Written by Jenny Pannell and Alison Pooley, it details case studies of new English almshouse developments explore how barriers can be overcome to provide high quality new housing including partnerships with local authorities, developers and a Community Land Trust. It also refers to Dutch almshouse case studies and the influence of the courtyard model add a European perspective, with a comparison of the local context in both countries.
On the back of this blog, we are pleased to discuss the blog consider the future of almshouses in the first HAPPI Hour of the year.
Coronavirus Update
With new stronger localised tiered arrangements and national lockdown in place nationally, check out our Coronavirus Info Hub for the latest government guidance, a range of Housing LIN practice briefings for the sector and links to other useful information and websites.
Useful guidance & information
- Coronavirus: National survey launched to learn from pandemic’s impact on retirement housing sector
As reported last month ahead of the new lockdown announcement, we have partnered St Monica Trust in this extensive piece of research funded by the Dunhill Medical Trust. We look forward to your participation. - Better housing is crucial for our health and the COVID-19 recovery
This paper by The Health Foundation sets out the links between housing and health and explores the inequalities in housing across different groups and types of tenures. It then considers the impact of COVID-19 on housing so far, future risks and possible ways forward.
Lastly, do post or reply to questions on our discussion forum. It allows you to share information, raise issues and ask questions to solve a tricky issue. For example, can you share your organisation’s COVID-19 risk plan or information about how you are engaging with residents remotely?
Housing, Community, Disability, and Ageing
Housing Matters - Episode 7: Housing LIN with LLARC’s Gerry Foley and Margaret Edwards
In this episode of Housing Matters (no7), Gerry Foley of the Later Life Audio and Radio Cooperative talks with Margaret Edwards, the Housing LIN’s London Chair, about our new CollobarAGE Directory and about how she has completely future proofed a standard 1950s house which she and her partner now living in, captured in this series of Housing LIN blogs.
In other News
- MHCLG announcement: Government reforms make it easier and cheaper for leaseholders to buy their homes
- Centre for Ageing Better: Age positive images library
Design, Construction and Technology
Housing Design Awards 2021
We are proud to sponsor these awards organised by Design for Homes and, in particular, draw attention to designing a range of HAPPI-inspired, beautifully designed housing that meets the needs and aspirations of an ageing population. To take inspiration from HAPPI and past winners, view our dedicated design hub webpage.
In other News
- Ambition for Ageing (Manchester) briefing: Use of Information and Communication Technologies to support social connections for older people
- TechUK report: Respond, Adapt, Recover – Stories of how tech is delivering on the frontline
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health special edition: Combining the Digital, Social and Physical Layer to Create Age-Friendly Cities and Communities
- Journal of Medical Internet Research article: Promotion of Physical Activity in Older People Using mHealth and eHealth Technologies: Rapid Review of Reviews
Mental Health, Learning Disability, Health and Social Care
Call for papers for Special Issue on Intermediate Care
The Journal of Integrated Care is preparing a Special Issue on Intermediate Care. Their call for papers is now open with submission deadline by 30th April 2021. For details on submitting a research paper, case study or review on your experience of designing, commissioning, delivering, enabling or evaluating transitional and intermediate care services, click on the link below.
In other News
- NHS Confederation report: Building common purpose: Learning on engagement and communications in integrated care systems
Dementia
Housing and Dementia
- Foundations’ YouTube video: Dementia Inclusive by Design - Wendy Mitchell
And the final session of the APPG on Housing and Care for Older People’s Inquiry into the housing experiences of people living with dementia tool place last month week. We are now pulling together the evidence presented and submissions received to produce an Inquiry report for the APPG to be launch next month. In the meantime, for information on the scope of the Inquiry, visit the link below.
Wales and Scotland
Wales
Welsh government guidance on COVID-19 can be found at: https://gov.wales/coronavirus
Scotland
Scottish government guidance on COVID-19 can be found at https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance/
In other News:
- Scottish Housing News: ‘Severe undersupply’ of senior housing highlighted in new research
Events
Preparing our Spring HAPPI Hour series
We are now working on a new HAPPI Hour programme and look forward to sharing our full Spring schedule of webinars in the coming weeks. However, you can already sign up to our first HAPPI Hour of the year.
Taking place on Thursday, 28 January 2021, and in association with Winckworth Sherwood, we will be joined by the authors of this week’s Housing LIN blog and recent RICS report along with sector leaders from the Almshouse Association, leading architects’ practices and a community land trust to consider the future of Almshouses and explore community-shaped housing for older adults.
Housing LIN Summit 2020 – Reaching for the Top
And if you missed our Summit last month celebrating outstanding innovation, latest research findings, leading practice developments and sector thought-leadership, all the HAPPI Hour presentations and recordings from last month's Summit are now available for all to see on the event's microsite.
Mental Health Foundation is recruiting
Project Manager, 'Picture This' Project
The Mental Health Foundation is recruiting for a Project Manager to oversee their new project ‘Picture This’ building social connections virtually in Later Life Housing Schemes. The post is fixed term for 12 months, full time at 35 hours per week.
In next week’s HLINks
And in next week's news, we publish a guest blog from Bracknell based Silva Homes and will report on the first TAPPI inquiry session. We were also pleased to be involved in the upcoming The Housing Forum’s new report, Older & Wiser. This is being launched next Friday. Register to join the online launch here.
Lastly, the Housing LIN would like to thank Willmott Dixon for their support in producing this newsletter.