EAC Housing for Older People Awards 2010

At last the retirement housing sector has its own dedicated awards. At the inaugural event at Lords on Feb 4th around 350 guests, including designers, providers and managers of retirement housing and over 100 elderly residents were present to see 32 Awards handed out across 11 categories of retirement housing and housing with care. Uniquely, the finalists and the awards were determined by residents and not the industry - upholding the central aims of empowerment and listening to consumer feedback.

Lord Bill McKenzie, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, opened the proceedings, followed by a lively impromptu by the much-loved actor Liz Smith, herself resident of a retirement housing scheme.

Nominations for the awards had been submitted by the residents themselves through an innovative game of cards designed to stimulate discussions and capture satisfaction ratings on all aspects housing for later life. 2140 residents sent entries from all over the UK.

The Awards were part funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government and by the Housing LIN of the DH Care Networks; Nationwide Building Society and Legal & General are its 2 core sponsors.

The Housing LIN award for best UK Extra Care Housing scheme went to School Court Hednesford, Staffordshire, WS12 4UA (picture below)

For more information about the Awards, go to http://www.housingcare.org/ (opens new window) and/or see the Report (opens new window) below, which describes the development, implementation, consultation process and findings of the first 'EAC Housing for Older People Awards'.