Research into the changing housing needs and demands of older adults

Chris Paris, Emeritus Professor of Housing Studies, University of Ulster

Visiting Fellow, FIHURE, Flinders University

Presentation to Aged & Community Services SA & NTHousing Service Providers

Wednesday 28 October 2009

Introduction

Talk is about processes & initial results

Ongoing work with Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE)

Research aims Comprehensive assessment of current provision Determine the adequacy of this provision Identify new accommodation models/services Assess overall policy implications

Context: housing provision & policy

UK housing system changed substantially since 1960s High point of public housing intervention in the 1970s Subsequent privatisation & market deregulation Changing roles of councils and housing associations

Northern Ireland: a distinctive regional setting Contested constituent part of the UK: 30-years of ‘Troubles’ Distinctive arrangements for public & social housing

Similarities/differences NI and South Australia Sub-national jurisdictions but different constitutional bases Similar population sizes & peripheral economic status Both within affluent countries with ageing populations

Belfast looking south from Black Mountain: just another city

Source: Google Earth

Source: Brendan Murtagh

A ‘peace wall’ in west Belfast

Source: CAIN

Loyalist wall mural, Belfast

"Slan Abhaile” - “Safe Home" Source: CAIN

Republican mural, Short Strand

City of Derry (aka Londonderry): the Maiden city

Source: Google Earth

Young petrol bomber with gas mask Civil rights protestors & CS gas

Republican murals in ‘Derry’

Mural in ‘Londonderry’

Source: Google Earth

Background to our NI research

Widespread concern about ageing population Older people certain to be increasing % of population What overall implications for housing provision & policy?

HE contracted an initial scoping study Extensive consultations with key players to define key issues Housing needs & circumstances are changing

Key issues: Help & support for independence in own home Suitability of accommodation Isolation: may be worse in urban than rural areas Financial issues associated with old age

Changing housing associations

HAs had very distinctive history in NI Sheltered housing, high % tenants 60+, easy 100% capital grants

Many changes from mid 1990s NIHE construction ended: HAs only providers of new social End of 100% grants: move to ‘mixed funding’ for construction Funding for ‘supporting people’ based on certified need Common selection scheme for social housing: based on need

High % allocations to homeless, sole parents, young & singles Falling popularity of HA sheltered schemes (esp. 1-beds)

Much higher % of those now entering old age are home owners Much less attracted to social housing options

1990s sheltered housing, Belfast

1990s sheltered housing, Belfast

1990s rural HA sheltered housing

Carn Court, Rosslea

Recent HA developments

Sheltered housing: 1 and 2-bedrooms

Refurbished NIHE elders’ housing

Greenview Avenue, Antrim Priory Close, Lambeg

HE research programme

Overall aim: full assessment of older persons’ housing needs

Component elements include housing & ‘supporting people’ Dual focus, priorities & budgets: ‘landlord’ & ‘social work’ Grey area of ‘housing-related support’

Preliminary in-house work on existing data Changing age profiles of social housing tenants & applicants New issue: ageing home owners not tenants

3-year programme with inter-related strands New provision of accommodation for older people Mechanisms to help older people to remain in their homes

New provision: retirement villages?

Study of need & demand for retirement villages in NI Market research with scoping of existing provision & policy issues Visited providers in GB and Republic of Ireland

Key findings: general Older people’s needs related to their housing careers Importance of cohort effects: next generation of older people = home owners Current range of provision does not meet all needs

Key findings: retirement villages Many definitions/meanings of ‘retirement villages’ Currently none in NI & little knowledge about them Home owners knew a bit more (though weak evidence for this) Cross-sectoral issues regarding possible new developments

Funding, land acquisition & costs, size, affordability, accessibility, planning & community impacts

Policy issues in the report: Need for cross-sectoral examination of opportunities to develop an RV My question: who should/could develop our first RV? Existing HAs or other charitable agency,

or government agency?

Other research on new provision

Review of housing provision, demand & need Analysis of current accommodation of older people Projection of household numbers by type & likely

accommodation requirements Overview of good practice re. other forms of new provision

Study of dementia-related accommodation Detailed analysis of specific project with facilities for family

Review of current supported housing provision Comparison with current developments in GB

Helping people stay in their homes: study of information needs

Scoping inventory & stakeholder consultation to identify gaps & needs

Key findings Older people have some some distinctive information needs Limited life expectancy & high prevalence of illness add urgency to needs Older people identified specific information needs

Finance-related rights and entitlements, Housing-related issues: maintenance, adaptations, bills & refuse/recycling Social: safety, isolation, local amenities, getting their shopping home Personal and medical-related: accessing carers and support for carers

Policy implications Need inter-agency collaboration to reduce duplication & ensure timely provision Include awareness of issues involving stigma, needs to contact isolated vulnerable

people & ensure minority group access

Policy initiatives Linking this study to EAT project with simple web-based information NIHE working with other agencies to improve & consolidate information & advice

Other work staying in their homes

Electronic assistive technology (EAT) Identify current provision and explore options for future

developments

Data audit on information on homes with adaptations

Aims to improve management of services, inform adaptations policy including health & safety

Assess feasibility of non-profit equity release scheme

New study responding to changed context since credit crunch

Conclusions & issues

Ongoing work designed to finish this year (but will be extended) Research context affected by the GFC

Regarding equity levels & perceptions of risk Affect attitudes to retirement villages & equity release

Tensions between ‘housing’ & ‘supporting people’

Overview of programme and reports at: www.nihe.gov.uk/strategic_research_july__08.pdf

NI-SA comparisons We can learn from you especially regarding asset-based options Crucial significance of context for policy development & transfer