Extra Care Housing in the UK: Can it be a Home for Life?

Kneale, Dylan; Smith, L. C.

doi:10.1080/02763893.2013.813423

Cited by 15 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…According to the Ontario Health Quality project ‘Aging in the Community’ (Health Quality 2008), social isolation is one of the main reasons older adults (over 65 years of age) move into community living (the others being falls and injuries, incontinence issues and cognitive impairment – mainly dementia). As Kneale (2013) suggested, having a home within extra-care housing (Dawson, Williams and Netten 2006) may help ease the loneliness and social isolation of some older adults. Thus, older adults who make the transition to a socially engaging retirement community may benefit from measurable improvements to both mental health and cognitive functioning.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transition from community dwelling to retirement village in older adults: cognitive functioning and psychological health outcomes

et al. 2016

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Supported living and retirement villages are becoming a significant option for older adults with impairments, with independence concerns or for forward planning in older age, but evidence as to psychological benefits for residents is sparse. This study examined the hypothesis that the multi-component advantages of moving into a supported and physically and socially accessible 'extra-care' independent living environment will impact on psychological and functioning measures. Using an observational longitudinal design,  new residents were assessed initially and three months later, in comparison to  older adults staying in their original homes. Initial group differences were apparent but some reduced after three months. Residents showed improvement in depression, perceived health, aspects of cognitive function and reduced functional limitations, while controls showed increased functional limitations (worsening). Ability to recall specific autobiographical memories, known to be related to social problem solving, depression and functioning in social relationships, predicted change in communication limitations, and cognitive change predicted changes in recreational limitations. Change in anxiety and memory predicted change in depression. Findings suggest that older adults with independent living concerns who move to an independent but supported environment can show significant benefits in psychological outcomes and reduction in perceived impact of health on functional limitations in a short period. Targets for focused rehabilitation are indicated, but findings also validate development of untargeted general supportive environments.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transition from community dwelling to retirement village in older adults: cognitive functioning and psychological health outcomes

et al. 2016

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“…The fieldwork demonstrated the importance of mixed age and mixed capacity/dependency in RH, to secure an adequate number of people able and willing to lead residents’ groups and generate social support for the most vulnerable. This echoes Kneale (2013), who argues that a sense of community and the capacity for informal aid to neighbours is fostered by a balance of highly dependent and less-dependent residents. Earlier focus groups and a postal survey of tenants of the housing association which hosted the estate managers’ survey (Gray 2015) identified 66–75-year-olds as the age group providing most informal help to neighbours.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 78%

“…2008; Croucher, Hicks and Jackson 2006) analyse the role of organised group activities in developing a sense of community. Kneale (2013) identifies several potential mechanisms through which extra-care housing can lower social isolation; by its ethos, design, organised activities, sense of community, and through all of these by achieving improved health and mobility.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Addressing loneliness and isolation in retirement housing

Gray

Worlledge

2016

Ageing and Society

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Loneliness is a significant health risk for older people, linked with bereavement, living alone and declining health. Previous research suggests loneliness is common amongst residents of English retirement housing, who show a relatively high incidence of these factors. This invites the question, what can providers of retirement housing do to help their residents avoid loneliness, thus remaining healthier and less likely to need care services? Through a survey of 326 retirement-estate managers, we investigate the role of staff and residents' groups in developing organised social activities for residents in retirement housing, and the potential of these activities for generating social contacts which may provide a pathway to avoid loneliness. The survey was informed by a literature review with two objectives: firstly, to consider the nature and causes of loneliness amongst older people and how these apply to retirement housing residents; secondly, to identify good practice models of previous interventions designed to widen social interactions for older people or provide emotional support. The sample was drawn from the all-England property portfolio of a major provider of retirement housing for people over 55. The sampled estates, mostly social rented but including some with a mixture of leasehold and rented dwellings, represent a sector also described as sheltered or supported housing, which has over 550,000 dwellings in the United Kingdom. It is characterised by having some form of staff support for people who are frail, immobile or isolated, such that they may occasionally need help available on call. In the literature review, we consider how different kinds of social contact can help develop friendships and meet social support needs, in retirement housing and elsewhere – in particular, organised group activities (clubs, classes, etc.) and specific interventions designed to address loneliness. The fieldwork suggests that organised activities in retirement housing have considerable potential to meet residents' social support needs, but that this potential is often not fully realised. A wider range of activities is needed, which may require the support of housing management staff, volunteers and community organisations.

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“…Not all residents of ECH have care needs, many move into ECH as a pre‐emptive strategy to maintain independence (Kneale & Smith, ). However, all of the schemes reported undertaking initial assessments of care needs before older people moved into the schemes or, when care needs emerged.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘You have got to stick to your times’: Care workers and managers’ experiences of working in extra care housing

Cameron

Johnson

Evans

et al. 2019

Health Soc Care Community

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Extra care housing (ECH) has been lauded as an innovative model of housing with care for older people that promotes and supports independent living. The study used a qualitative design to explore how care is delivered in four extra care settings in England over 20 months during 2016-2017. This paper reports findings from semistructured interviews with 20 care workers and seven managers. The article argues that, despite being heralded as a new model, care workers in ECH face similar organisational pressures as those working in more conventional settings and, in turn, the care which they are able to provide to residents mimics traditional forms of care. K E Y W O R D Scare work, extra care housing, older people, social care, the organisation of care

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Extra Care Housing in the UK: Can it be a Home for Life?

Cited by 15 publications

References 11 publications

Transition from community dwelling to retirement village in older adults: cognitive functioning and psychological health outcomes

Transition from community dwelling to retirement village in older adults: cognitive functioning and psychological health outcomes

Addressing loneliness and isolation in retirement housing

‘You have got to stick to your times’: Care workers and managers’ experiences of working in extra care housing

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