HLINks: Keep up-to-date with sector news, including on COVID-19, MHAW2020, new Housing LIN blog and much more

New APPG Inquiry announced

The All Party Parliamentary Group on Housing and Care for Older People, co-chaired by Lord Best and Peter Aldous MP, has launched a new Inquiry this week to take a deep dive into housing and dementia. Sponsored by Anchor Hanover and with the Housing LIN's Jeremy Porteus as the Secretariat, Lord Best has brought together a panel of Parliamentarians and experts to seek evidence covering:

• 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 Inquiry will interview a wide range of 'witnesses' over four virtual sessions in 2020 and report back in early 2021.

For more information visit the Inquiry page on the Housing LIN's housing and dementia curated website.

Mental Health Awareness Week

We are delighted that the Mental Health Foundation are the new supporter of our mental health and housing webpages.

The resources curated on these pages offer practical information about how suitable housing options and related services, and demonstrate timely support interventions that enable people to live with mental health and improve their wellbeing.

“We know from our projects that people’s mental health in later life can be considerably affected by their housing situation. At the Foundation we work to promote good mental health. We are there delighted to be associated with these mental health and housing pages so we can work together to achieve better mental health and wellbeing in older people’s housing.”  Mark Rowland, Chief Executive at Mental Health Foundation

• Building a strong foundation on mental health and housing

Did you know, the Housing LIN has been working to support local authorities and housing associations to review the planning and delivery of a wider range of high-quality housing options for people with mental health related needs?

If you’d like to find out more or discuss how we can support your organisation, contact us at: consultancy@housinglin.org.uk

In addition, to coincide with MHAW2020, we have published a selection of four new blogs:

• Supporting our employees during COVID-19 at Guinness Liz Skelton, Director of Health and Safety, on a range of vital measures to support the mental health and wellbeing at work for their staff, including keeping staff informed and connected, and supporting anxiety.
• Mentally aware - shining a light on loneliness and isolation as we come out of lockdown
  The Housing LIN's Dementia co-lead, Katey Twyford asks what the 'new normal' will be for extra care housing residents, both those with dementia and/or experiencing increased anxiety and depression and additional feelings of loneliness and social isolation post COVID-19.
• There’s no place like home: Housing & Home, Mental Health, Connectedness & Kindness
  The Mental Health Foundation' programmes manager for empowerment and later life, Jolie Goodman highlights the #onedayinlockdown work of the Foundation.
• Mental wellbeing: the importance of home The Housing LIN’s Ian Copeman shares some of the learning from our work improving the housing choices of people with mental health needs.

Coronavirus Update

A selection of latest government advice guidelines and plans that are relevant for our sector include:

• Coronavirus (COVID-19): letter to social housing residents
• Care home support package backed by £600 million to help reduce coronavirus infections
• Updated Guidance on shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19
• Coronavirus (COVID-19): Homelessness response fund

Other relevant COVID-19 news include:

• Community Fund - Statement about the Coronavirus Community Support Fund
• Full Fact - Currently, people in independent living housing aren’t automatically eligible for coronavirus testing

And remember, check out on our Coronavirus Info Hub for a range of Housing LIN practice briefings for the sector and links to other useful information and websites.

Also, post or reply to questions on our discussion forum. It allows you to share information, raise issues and ask questions to solve a tricky issue. For example, can you share your organisation’s COVID-19 risk plan?

Specific advice guidelines in Scotland and Wales can be found in the relevant sections further down.

Housing, Community, Disability, and Ageing

• An A-Z of retirement villages and extra care housing schemes
• Housing LIN letter to The Times - Taking extra care in these extraordinary times
• Home of 2030 – final couple of weeks. The deadline for Phase 1 submissions is 3rd June 2020
• Communities that work - Parliamentary inquiry into housing and employment – renewed calls for evidence
• National Community Land Trust Network - Co-CE: A role for the movement in the post-COVID economic recovery
• Habinteg - Loneliness and isolation resources for households shielding

Opinion pieces and blogs:

• The Guardian - 'I miss people terribly': the growing pain of older people's isolation

Dementia

• Dementia UK - Making the home safe and comfortable for a person with dementia

Design and Technology

• ADASS - Releasing the Power of Personalisation - Using technology to improve the personalisation of adult social care
• NIHR - Covid-19 Technology for strength and balance
• Homes England - research into MMC to drive construction innovation
• RIBA - Future Trends Survey
   

Opinion pieces and blogs:

• Social Care Future - Keeping people connected – digital or analogue!
• dezeen - Housing after coronavirus should feature bigger spaces and more balconies says Alison Brooks
• Inside Housing - The pandemic is a challenge to current practices of development From stairs and lifts, to balcony or garden space, the coronavirus lockdown raises specific questions for future development design, says architect Rory Bergin

Health and care

• ADASS - Rapid Provider Support Survey – Results These findings show the measures local authorities have put in place to support local social care providers. 
• International Long-Term Care Policy Network - Mitigating the Impact of the COVID-19 Outbreak: A Review of International Measures to Support Community-Based Care

Opinion pieces and blogs:

• Local Government Chronicle - Richard Humphries: What will Covid crisis mean for social care reform?

Planning

• TCPA - Campaign: The Healthy Homes Act Too many homes and neighbourhoods built today undermine residents' health and wellbeing - the TCPA is campaigning for new legislation to stop this.

The Housing LIN is delighted to support this campaign and make connection between a healthy home and a HAPPI home. More also on our online Planning Portal health and wellbeing page.

Planning Tracker

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.

Wales

Welsh government guidance on COVID-19 can be found at: https://gov.wales/coronavirus

Community Housing Cymru has a helpful list of coronavirus resources for Welsh housing associations, which can be found here.

Other news include:

• Wales Co-operative Centre - Sustainable living co-operative is thriving place for future generations
• Inside Housing (registration required) - Put social housing at heart of coronavirus recovery, housing bodies tell devolved nations

Scotland

Scottish government guidance on COVID-19 can be found at https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance/

Latest government advice guidelines that are relevant for our sector:

• The Scottish government has updated its coronavirus-related frequently asked questions for social landlords, which can be found here.
• The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations regularly publishes briefings on a variety of coronavirus-related issues, which can be found here- It recently updated its Care & Support and Service Delivery COVID-19 briefings

Other news include:

• Scottish Housing News - RTPI: Scottish Government must plan for a ‘different’ Scotland post COVID-19
• Scottish Housing News - Trust Housing Association provides help for Scotland’s ethnic minority older people during COVID-19

Call for info

Housing LIN and COVID-19

In response to discussion with our members and to support the sector we have posted three new threads on our discussion forum. These are designed to share learning and intelligence from organisations that are providing:

• Housing with care services, mainly for older people.
• Sheltered and retirement housing services, mainly for older people.
• Supported housing services, for example for people with learning disabilities, for people with mental health related needs, for vulnerable young people, for people experiencing domestic abuse.

We will collate and analyse the responses to these discussion threads - alongside our wider intelligence - to inform future briefings for our members and to feed into discussions with Government officials.

We recognise that housing and care provider colleagues are very busy, however, we hope that you are able to share some elements of your current practice and concerns through our discussion forum by Friday, 29th May.

And if you'd rather keep your answers private, please email us at info@housinglin.org.uk

Research opportunities

Areas of Research Interest for COVID-19 and its impact for individuals aged 50-70

The Centre for Ageing Better is keen to hear from researchers, research institutions and research funders interested in working with them on COVID19 and the impact on 50-70 year olds.

• Get involved

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!

Forthcoming events Supported by the Housing LIN include:

• HDRC Webinar: Exploring issues relating to housing and care provision for LGBTQ older people and people living with dementia
• 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

We look forward to publishing Assael Architecture’s Tom Murphy guest blog in our series on ‘work ready’ HAPPI

The Housing LIN would like to thank Willmott Dixon for their support in producing this newsletter.

Stay well, stay connected and be safe!