HLINks: Keep up-to-date with sector news, including on COVID-19, new Housing LIN practice briefing and blogs and much more
The value of networking
Here at the Housing LIN the value of our free online networks at this time can not be underestimated. Our COVID-19 business continuity is built on nearly ten years of experience operating a platform that is designed to connect organisations and practitioners to aid their organisational development or individual learning, keep members up-to-date with relevant sector news and insights, and help them access support to review strategic plans and/or make operational service improvements.
It's in our strapline, 'Connecting people, ideas and resources'.
In this week’s HLINks, we feature our latest COVID-19 practice briefings, a selection of guest blogs and provide a round-up of news and resources on housing with care matters.
New Housing LIN Products
Over the last couple of weeks we have updated our COVID-19 Practice briefings No1 and 2, published Practice Briefings No3 and 4, and a couple of blogs. These are:
Practice Briefing (No3) - Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Tips for the housing sector on supporting someone affected by dementia
Written specifically for the housing sector, operators of specialist housing - such as extra care or retirement housing - or general needs housing, this Housing LIN briefing sets out a number of top tips on supporting people affected by dementia during the Coronavirus pandemic, and signposts to a selection of useful links and further practical advice.
Practice Briefing (No4) - Coronavirus (COVID-19): Top tips in Bereavement Care in Specialist Housing
This Housing LIN briefing (No4) is a companion piece to on our earlier briefing on End of Life Care (No2) and draws specific attention to the need of residents to equip themselves in the way they access bereavement care and support upon the loss of a family member, friend, relative or fellow resident in one of their schemes during the Coronavirus pandemic. Also see two standalone Appendices with useful protocols produced by Anchor Hanover.
Blog - Later Living: Ageing Happily
This new guest blog for the Housing LIN by Future Street’s Jenny West explores how good quality HAPPI housing can enable people to lead healthier lives and help compress loneliness.
Blog - Are you ready to be isolated? Wellbeing lead approach to live/work housing
And following the blog by the Housing LIN’s Jeremy Porteus on ‘work ready’ HAPPI, this one by Archadia Architects’ Kathryn Thomas explores the question all housing professionals have had on their mind since the start of the COVID-19 crisis: What will change after confinement?
Coronavirus Update
Latest government advice guidelines that are relevant for our sector include:
- Government launches plan to tackle loneliness during coronavirus lockdown
- Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for people receiving direct payments
- COVID-19: guidance for the public on mental health and wellbeing
- Coronavirus testing extended to all essential workers in England who have symptoms
The Housing LIN’s Jeremy Porteus also convened a meeting of leading retirement living/extra care trade and professional bodies and charities this week to discuss pressing issues in the light of COVID-19 and met Care Minister, Helen Whately MP, with other sector leaders to highlight the issues.
And remember you can check out all key documents by housing, health and social care on our Coronavirus Info Hub as well as all our practice briefings and signposting to other useful information and websites.
Home from Hospital update
As part of our commitment to the national Health and Housing Memorandum of Understanding, we have added several new (pre-coronavirus) projects on our Home from Hospital interactive map for England.
This map, developed by Foundations and the Housing LIN, highlights examples of where housing organisations and local services are, or have been actively supporting hospital discharges and helping to get people home.
Other News from the Sector
Housing, Community, Disability, and Ageing
- Laing Buisson News - Calls for better support for disabled people and services
- Inside Housing (subscription required) - This crisis has amplified the harsh realities of life for many disabled tenants
- Ian Spero, Founder Agile Ageing Alliance - Your Neighbourhood Needs YOU to cocreate a new ISO framework
- Property Week Insight - Let’s bring generations together
- Independent Age - In Focus: Experiences of older age in England
- Social Housing (subscription required) - New for-profit RP gears up to build £0.5bn affordable extra care portfolio
Design and technology
- Social Care Digital Innovation Accelerator 2020/21 - Submit your idea
Building on the success of SCDIA 2019/20, the Local Government Association and NHS Digital want to continue supporting digital innovation to help local government and their care partners deliver key health and social care services. At the current time, it is also an opportunity to support applications in response to COVID-19. - Social Care Future - Blog - Helping people living in accommodation with support stay connected with family and friends by setting up a “Kit for Connection” scheme
- Local Authority Building & Maintenance - Tunstall Healthcare responds to call out for tech support during COVID-19
- University of Manchester - Use of Information and Communication Technologies to support social connections for older people
- Winston Churchill Memorial Trust - Helping older people through isolation with a new tech platform
- Pro Builder - Easier Living by Design? Builders Are Exploring New Approaches
Planning
Older People’s Care Development – Local Development Plan Monitoring
In association with Tetlow King Planning, this document monitors current local authority planning consultations that may be of interest for those seeking to develop housing for older people. The tracker is updated fortnightly.
Scotland
SFHA - COVID-19 Briefings
The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) has updated its COVID-19 briefings on service delivery and on care & support.
Calls for info
Urgent MHCLG call for info on Supported Housing
With increasing concern about the effect of COVID-19 on the retirement housing and supported housing sectors, the Housing LIN has been contacted by the MHCLG to collate its members input around specific PPE issues and any other issues about sickness absence of frontline staffs and those who provide extra care and specialist supported living for people with acute conditions. Today, Friday 24th April is the deadline for posting your answers at: https://www.housinglin.org.uk/Discuss/General-Housing-Topics/Urgent-MHCLG-call-for-info-on-Supported-Housing/2443/
And if you'd rather keep your answers private, please email us at info@housinglin.org.uk
Healthy City Design International
The closing date for papers for this year’s conference on designing resilient communities: recovery, renewal and renaissance is Thursday, 7 May 2020. More under the link below.
Home of 2030 competition
The deadline for this competition has now been extended to 2pm on Wednesday, 3 June 2020. Full details below.
Forthcoming Events
Housing LIN Events
In light of the coronavirus outbreak we have cancelled all our upcoming regional meetings and training courses until further notice. We are currently exploring how to hold these events online, so watch this space!
Supported by the Housing LIN
- HDRC webinar: Responding to walking with purpose and distress in extra care housing
- Appello webinar - Digital Telecare: Supporting Self-Isolation
- Appello webinar - Smart Living Solutions – Creating a connected environment
- Better Housing Choices for Older People, and People Who Need Support
- Appello - Meeting expectations with digital telecare
- HRF Academic Conference - Happy Homes, Happy Society?
Next week
Next week we will be publishing two new guest blogs: the first on tackling social isolation among the elderly by Guild Living’s Eugene Marchese. The second is by the collective foundation’s Andre Damian and considers the value of different forms of co-living and how it has the potential to foster social connectedness.
With Thanks and Stay Safe
The Housing LIN would like to thank Willmott Dixon for their support in producing this newsletter.