The Housing LIN is supporting the Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Action Week.

One in 14 of us aged over 65, and one in 6 of us aged over 80, will find ourselves living with dementia. There is currently no cure, and in most cases the condition worsens over time.

As highlighted in last year’s APPG on Housing with Care for Older People Inquiry report, ‘Housing for people with dementia – are we ready?’, Dementia Care Pathways do not usually link care and housing together.

Health and care assessments, particularly at the post-diagnostic stage, should take into account the extent to which a person’s accommodation is dementia-ready.

That’s why, in support of this year’s Dementia Action Week theme on diagnosis, the Housing LIN would like to draw attention to the extensive resources about dementia-friendly housing hosted on our website, including:

• Housing for people with dementia – are we ready?
  This APPG on Housing and Care for Older People Inquiry report pulls together the evidence presented to the Inquiry's expert Panel, the research and analysis undertaken to understand the housing implications of people living with dementia and makes over 40 key policy and practice recommendations for making dementia-readiness happen. We invite you to share examples of how you and your organisation have responsed to the APPG report, whether that’s sharing good practice or promoting a innovative new scheme or service. Find us on Twitter and use the hashtag #DAW2022.

• Dementia-friendly housing guide
  The Alzheimer’s Society and Housing 21 have updated the 2017 Dementia Friendly Housing Charter (opens new window). The new report helps to inform how housing organisations, corporate bodies and sector professionals on how housing, their design and supporting services, can help improve and maintain the wellbeing of people affected by dementia.

• A Dementia and Housing Working Group resource on design and technology
  The Dementia and Housing Working Group has developed a “go to” resource for easy access to Dementia-Friendly design and technology information and guidance to support the delivery of Recommendation 34 of the APPG on Housing and Care for Older People Inquiry report.

• Housing and Living Well with Dementia: from Policy to Practice in Greater Manchester
  The lives of people living with dementia in Greater Manchester, alongside carers and loved ones, can be improved through better access to housing that reflects the changing needs and diversity of the population, according to the finding of this report.

---

In association with the Dementia and Housing Working Group (DHWG), we are pleased to host a HAPPI Hour webinar on Tuesday, 31 May 2022 4:00pm – 5:15pm on housing with dementia. This session will highlight the latest examples of practice in relation to taking forward key recommendations of last year’s APPG on Housing with Care for Older People Inquiry report, Housing for People with Dementia: Are we ready?

This HAPPI Hour session will also provide an opportunity to demonstrate the Dementia and Housing padlet, a ‘go to’ dementia information hub (opens new window), for use by policy makers, housing providers and developers, health and care professionals, those living with dementia and their carers, the home improvement sector, and building environment  supply chains.

We hope to see you there! Find out more and register your place here.