What do we need to think about when developing Extra Care housing for people with dementia?
Whether or not you are aiming to meet the needs of people with dementia, if you hope to provide a 'home for life', all your Extra Care schemes should be as dementia-friendly as possible. If you are specifically targeting people with dementia, even greater thought needs to be given to what this may mean.
Extra Care Housing: Commissioning for Quality - an overview of the issues (opens new window) - This presentation and associated paper outline what commissioners should consider when developing an extra care scheme for people with dementia. They emphasise the importance of working in partnership to achieve a shared vision, and ensuring that all the features which characterise the scheme dovetail with one another and are suited to the needs of the people for whom the scheme is intended. Such features would include: physical design; ethos and eligibility; policies, procedures, operations and internal communications; assistive technology devices; staffing levels and training.
Slide 20 in the workshop presentation on "Living Well with Dementia: National Strategy - A Housing Perspective (opens new window)" (Scroll down to 6th link under "Event Documents") has an image of different pieces of the extra care jigsaw which need to fit together
Supporting People with Dementia in Extra Care Housing - An introduction to the issues (opens new window) - Factsheet No14 provides an overview of developing and managing Extra Care Housing for people with dementia. It contains examples of different schemes in the UK. It accompanies a video on Extra Care Housing and Dementia available on CD-ROM from the Housing Learning & Improvement Network.
Suffolk Extra Care/Dementia Design and Management Guide - Published by Suffolk County Council this guide describes the additional design criteria, social activities, care and support provided in extra care housing for people with dementia. The guide includes information about assessment and care management, staffing, involvement with the local community and design principles.
Suffolk Partnering Agreement - An example of an agreement between commissioners and providers regarding supported housing for younger people with dementia. Details of respective responsibilities, funding, etc are set out.