HLINks - This week’s essential news, views, resources and upcoming events from the Housing LIN
Welcome to #Jeremytalks and my weekly piece to audio to coincide with our must-read weekly bulletin, HLINks, week-ending Friday, 19 March 2021.
This week we published two guest blogs. The first by Tunstall Healthcare’s Zillah Moore on improving health outcomes and the collaboration between health, housing and social care services; the second by Francesca Johnson at architects Stride Treglown in which she sets out the importance of post-occupancy evaluation in specialist living design.
In this week’s HLINks, you can also take a tour of other news and events on later life housing and independent living with regard to homes and communities, health and social care, design and technology, planning matters and more. In particular, we draw attention to the World Health Organization’s new campaign on a Decade of Healthy Ageing to coincide with the launch of the UN’s Global Ageism report. In addition, we feature the Scottish Government’s strategy Housing to 2040 which sets out clear ambitions for more affordable homes built to new accessible housing quality standards.
We also feature an exciting range of upcoming HAPPI Hour webinar sessions, including one featuring the Church of England’s recent state of the nation housing report by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York followed by 2 sessions on the findings from Lord Best’s APPG Inquiry report on Housing and Dementia.
Check all the latest news and register here to keep in touch with all our alerts and other notifications of your choice, sent direct to your inbox. And remember you can also follow us via our Twitter feeds: @HousingLIN, @HousingLINews and @HLINConsult
Finally, if you would like to talk to us about any matters highlighted in this week’s issue, share learning about your work and/or discuss how you can engage our highly regarded consultancy services to assist you, email ‘Jeremy talks’ at: info@housinglin.org.uk
You can also listen to #Jeremytalks… here
Thanks for listening, stay connected and, above all, be safe.
Jeremy
New Housing LIN Resources
The crucial role of housing in improving health outcomes
Ahead of next week’s International Technology Enabled Care conference, this new guest blog by Tunstall Healthcare Director Zillah Moore outlines the crucial role of housing in improving health outcomes through the lens of technology. In it she highlights how the use of technology empowers people to manage their own health and has the ability to transform the lives of millions of people. TECS and the concept of a ‘connected home’ has improved many areas of modern life and provided effective support to vulnerable people of all ages.
The Importance of Post-Occupancy Evaluation in Specialist Living Design
In this new blog for the Housing LIN, Francesca Johnson at architects, Stride Treglown, reflects on her thoughts on the lasting impacts of Covid-19 in terms of design of housing in later life but also suggests that qualitative research and post-occupancy evaluation will be critical in determining exactly how design can foster health and wellbeing in the future. She also recommends that all designers must engage with and listen to the voices of residents more widely to help co-design and shape specialist living design pointing out that the physical characteristics of our immediate environment, flexibility of space, access to nature and connectivity to community are important to everyone’s health, wellbeing, comfort and independence.
Coronavirus Update
With the Prime Minister’s announcement this week of the 4 steps to unlock the current national lockdown, check out our Coronavirus Info Hub for the latest government guidance, a range of Housing LIN practice briefings for the sector and links to other useful information and websites.
We have also identified the following items as useful reads:
- Extra Care and Supported Living Settings Testing guidance
- JCVI advises prioritising homeless people and rough sleepers for COVID-19 vaccine
- Coronavirus and the social impacts on disabled people in Great Britain: February 2021 - Office for National Statistics
Do also post any 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 or information about how you are engaging with residents remotely?
Housing, Community, Disability, and Ageing
UN publishes its first ever UN Global Report on Ageism
This report presents the latest evidence on a topic that has greater relevance during the COVID-19 pandemic. It points out that ageism leads to poorer health, social isolation, earlier deaths and cost economies billions. The report calls for swift action to implement effective anti-ageism strategies.
Cabinet Office’s Disability Unit Survey
And remember, to help the government with understanding the barriers that disabled people face and what it may need to focus upon to improve the lives of disabled people, the Cabinet Office in preparing a National Strategy are seeking the views people with disabilities to know more about their experiences.
If you are a disabled person, a carer or parent or as someone who has an interest in disability issues, please complete the online survey by 23 April 2021 if you would like to inform the development of the strategy. The survey is also available in other formats.
Other news and blogs:
- PRP news item: Four new trends in retirement living
- ExtraCare Charitable Trust project: Engaged Lives: Building Confidence and Community
- Centre for Ageing Better guest blog: My vision of a Decade of Healthy Ageing: by Jim, York
- ARCO guest blog: The pivotal role of Deferred Management Fees for Retirement Communities by David Whiteley
- Levitt Bernstein architects news: Melfield Gardens in Lewisham wins approval
- MHCLG easy-read: The Charter for Social Housing
Design, Construction, Planning and Technology
TAPPI: call for written submissions extended
Further to the call for evidence for examples and research on how the use of technology has transformed how you operate, design and build new or retrofit existing homes and/or deliver better outcomes for your customers, the deadline has now been extended to the end of March 2021. Have your say to inform and influence Inquiry Panel!
Other news and blogs
- Appello YouTube video: Launch of SmartConnect
- Quality of Life Foundation framework: Putting the Quality of Life Framework to work
- The Age of Creativity report: Digital Engagement From the COVID-19 Participation Monitor
Health and Social Care, Mental Health and Learning Disability
WHO A decade of Healthy Ageing
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced the launch of its new Decade of Healthy Ageing initiative this week which commits to improving the lives of older people globally over the next 10 years and brings together governments, civil society, international agencies, professionals, academia, the media and the private sector to see a collaborative action for change.
Golden Lane Housing partners Housing LIN on ‘go to’ Learning Disability and Housing webpages
Ahead of the official launch of the Learning Disability and Autism Housing Network Charter at this month’s NHF Summit, we are delighted to announce that Golden Lane Housing has joined the Housing LIN's family of sponsors.
Learning Disability England and Housing LIN producing two new guides – can you help?
As reported last week, we are working jointly with LDE who have been commissioned by NHS England, to write 2 guides on choosing and finding where to live. The guides will help commissioners and people with learning disabilities and autistic people plan for and get a home that works for them. LDE are looking for examples of information on ways of working that people think are good – can you help? If so, please email: info@LDEngland.org.uk
Less than 6 months to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) – Are you prepared?
The UK government has introduced a new form of immigration status to enable eligible European Union citizens, European Economic Area citizens, or Swiss citizens currently living in the UK or resident in the UK before 31 Dec 2020, to stay in the UK after the end of the transitional withdrawal period on 30 June 2021.
For anyone who hasn’t yet seen this, the Home Office have produced a EUSS toolkit Local authority toolkit specifically aimed at Local Authorities. And for more information, please visit the ADASS dedicated EUSS web page at: www.adass.org.uk/euss
Other news and blogs
- ADASS statement: Social Care leaders call on the Government to end 25 years of inaction and fix the social care system
- Health and Care Scotland article: Action promised on housing for disabled & older people (references Housing LIN)
- The King’s Fund briefing: The health and social care White Paper explained
- The King’s Fund blog: Taking your approach to population health and tackling health inequalities to the next level
Housing and Dementia
APPG on Dementia – call for evidence
The APPG on Dementia is accepting written evidence as a part of it’s inquiry into dementia research in the UK and the Government’s commitment to double dementia research funding. We will be making a submission and deadline day on 31 March 2021.
CIH Scotland and Dementia video
This video by Scottish Dementia Working Group, a national campaigning group run by people with dementia; an independent voice within Alzheimer Scotland, shares the stories, housing experiences and knowledge of people with dementia. It was recorded specifically for last week’s 2021 CIH Scotland conference where they took part in a session dedicated to housing and dementia
APPG Inquiry report on housing and dementia
Missed this last month? Watch and listen again to the launch of the new APPG Inquiry report on housing and dementia here and be inspired by Wendy Mitchell as she shares her personal story about living with dementia.
Brunelcare is recruiting for a trustee with a background in housing association finance to join its board
Celebrating their 80th year in 2021, Brunelcare is a charity providing a range of supported housing and social care in Bristol, South Gloucestershire and Somerset
They are looking for an experienced housing association finance professional to complement the skills and experience of their existing board.
This is a crucial time for the organisation as they continue to respond to the Coronavirus pandemic, plan recovery, and look to the future with the development of both a new asset management strategy and wider organisational strategy.
The successful applicant will have a skill set that is blended, balancing a strategic outlook with a passion for providing the best possible care and support for older people. To find out more, please download the recruitment pack here.
To apply, please email your CV and a covering letter to mandy.collins@brunelcare.org.uk by Monday, 12 April 2021.
Wales and Scotland
Wales
This week, the Welsh Government announced additional capital funding for its’ 2021/2022 Social Housing Grant programme, bringing the total to £250m.
Also, a reminder that the Welsh Government also has an important consultation out, highly relevant for Housing LIN Cymru members as follows:
- Improving social care arrangements and partnership working (deadline 6 April 2021)
And for Welsh government guidance on COVID-19, visit: https://gov.wales/coronavirus
Scotland
Scottish Government launches Housing to 2040 strategy
The Scottish Government has set out what it wants housing and communities to look and feel like for the people of Scotland, including key measures for older people and people with disabilities.
While the main emphasis is to deliver 100,000 more affordable homes by 2032, there are a range of important actions relevant to Housing LIN members including: new building standards to create a single set of quality and accessibility standards for all tenures; decarbonising heating in all homes in line with Scotland’s climate ambitions, ensuring this is done in a fair and just way, including by adapting and retrofitting existing homes; reviewing guidance on housing for varying needs; and promoting independent living and increasing the supply of accessible and adaptable homes.
Scottish Older People’s Assembly (SOPA) Manifesto
SOPA has published a Manifesto in advance of the 2021 elections. It sets out six recommendations that they believe should be priorities for the next Scottish Government. It is based on the views of our members, the experiences from their organisations working with older people and from SOPA’s outreach and consultation activities
And for Scottish government guidance on COVID-19, go to https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance/
Events
Our Spring HAPPI Hour series is now live
Have we got exciting news for you! Our Spring HAPPI Hour programme is now live and we have some excellent sessions coming up.
Next up on 15 April we are joined by the Bishop of Kensington who will chair a HAPPI Hour session on the Archbishops of Canterbury and York’s recent report, Coming Home: Tackling the housing crisis together. He will be joined by Professor Christine Whitehead and David Orr who were on report’s steering group and the vicar of St Brides in Trafford, a church part of the DH funded extra care housing scheme and community hub.
And following the launch of the latest APPG Inquiry report on housing and dementia, we are holding 2 HAPPI Hour sessions on design, and adaptations and technology. These are taking place on 22 April 2021 and 20 May 2021 respectively.
Lastly, to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week 2021, we are pleased to host a HAPPI Hour session on 13 May that explores latest research and practice findings in relation to housing and mental health services.
Other events supported by the Housing LIN
We are pleased to be involved in the following virtual events:
- CADR - Centre For Ageing & Dementia Research Conference 2021: A time of change; A time to change? - 23, 24 and 25 March 2021
- TSA's International Technology Enabled Care virtual conference - 22 to 25 March 2021 (please note free places are available to Housing LIN members by inputting this special code: - VITEC/housingLIN21)
- CfAB's Housing and our health and wellbeing: Healthy ageing webinars - How can we identify and support people whose health is being affected by poor housing to access funds to repair and improve their homes?
In collaboration with Public Health England, the Centre for Ageing Better is running a series of webinars that explores each of the Healthy Ageing Consensus Statement’s five principles which set out a shared vision for making England the best place in the world to grow old. The events look at the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, the key issues and lessons learned, followed by presentations from organisations that have implemented actions to address healthy ageing.
In next week’s HLINks
Have we got lots more news in store for you next week! On Monday, ARCO publish their latest report. With a contribution from the Housing LIN’s Jeremy Porteus, this collection of personal insights and experiences from a range of sector leader, this document makes interesting reading.
Also watch out for the TSA/ADASS Commission report and findings on integrated technology and for Shakespeare Martineau solicitors new market facing report with the results from an important YouGov survey they commissioned on the public’s perceptions of retirement housing.
And lastly, to coincide with the NHF’s annual conference, the Learning Disability and Autism Housing Network will be setting out their four actions for change in a new Charter.
The Housing LIN would like to thank Willmott Dixon for their support in producing this newsletter.