The All Party Parliamentary Group on Housing and Care for Older People has published its Inquiry report, ‘Housing for people with dementia – are we ready?’.

Jointly written by the Housing LIN's co-dementia lead, Katey Twyford, and the Housing LIN’s CEO Jeremy Porteus, Secretariat to the Inquiry. The 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.

The 9 month Inquiry, sponsored by the Anchor Hanover Group, held 4 virtual Inquiry Sessions between May and December 2020 due to the pandemic, interviewed 14 "witnesses" including people with dementia, carers organisations and those working in the NHS, designing or providing housing and/or commissioning adult social care services. It also received a selection of written submissions from academics, trade and professional bodies and provider organisations to help Panel members build a picture of the lived experiences of people with dementia and the impact of their housing circumstances pre-Covid and during lockdown.

The Inquiry report makes a number of important findings for future improvements to the way we design in dementia into new housing, retrofit our existing stock and make best use of technology, aids and equipment. It also includes useful infographic and updates the original 10 HAPPI design principles to ensure that they are dementia-friendly.

This is not an official website of the House of Commons or the House of Lords. It has not been approved by either House or its committees. All-Party Parliamentary Groups are informal groups of Members of both Houses with a common interest in particular issues. The views expressed in these webpages are those of the group.

Wendy Mitchell's address:

Click here to download the slides

The Inquiry explored housing with dementia from the premise that key elements help individuals with dementia to live as well as they can in a range of housing types, including housing with care schemes. They also seeked evidence to ensure housing policy reflects the needs of the rapidly rising number of people affected by dementia*. 

As set out in the APPG’s terms of reference, the Inquiry seeked evidence on:

• the links between housing, health and social care to improve the journey of people affected by dementia;
• the design of new homes;
• ways to increase supply of specialist dementia-friendly properties;
• changes and adaptations to existing properties to enable people to live well with dementia at home; and
• the role of innovative technology to improve the delivery of better care and support.

*The term ‘people affected by dementia’ has been adopted to include both individuals living with dementia and their partners, carers or other family members that live with them.

A number of parliamentarians participated in the Inquiry:

• Peter Aldous MP (co-Chair)
• Baroness Andrews
• Baroness Barker
• Lord Best (co-Chair)
• Ruth Cadbury MP
• Damian Green MP
• Lord Stoneham

The APPG was also supported by a panel of specialists:

• Jane Ashcroft CBE, Chief Executive, Anchor Hanover
• Professor Dawn Brooker, Director of the University of Worcester, Association for Dementia Studies, University of Worcester
• Kate Lee, Chief Executive, Alzheimer’s Society
• Bruce Moore, Chief Executive, Housing 21
• Sarah Pickup, Deputy Chief Executive , Local Government Association
• Damian Utton, Architect, Pozzoni architecture

Jeremy Porteus, CEO of the Housing Learning and Improvement Network (LIN), acted as Secretary and Co-ordinator for the Inquiry supported by Katey Twyford, the Housing LIN’s dementia co-lead and Lois Beech, Senior Research Officer.

This APPG is grateful to Anchor Hanover (opens new window) for their £12k sponsorship of this Inquiry.

Because of the pandemic, the Inquiry sessions were held virtually. These have now concluded and the Inquiry Report was launched by the APPG virtually on 17 February 2021, hosted by the Housing LIN.

Further information about the launch can be found on this event's page.

For enquiries relating to this inquiry, contact: dementia@housinglin.org.uk

For enquiries relating to the press release, contact Anchor Hanover’s Communications Team:

• Email: communications@anchorhanover.org.uk

This is now closed.