Housing options for Older People

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1 Housing options for Older People Rother District Council Housing Information Series Please see back cover for more information on leaflets in this series You can get a copy of this information in large print, audio tape or another language by phoning Putting customers first Delivering value for money Building stronger, safer communities Working in partnership

2 Contents Introduction Staying at home 1 Sheltered and retirement housing 3 Extra Care schemes 4 How to get information about care homes 5 Further information 5 Other leaflets in the Housing Information series 6 Introduction This leaflet is an introduction to the sorts of housing choices available for older people in the Rother District. It looks at: Ways of helping you stay in your current home Sheltered housing/retirement housing Extra Care schemes How to get more information about care homes

3 All contact numbers and addresses are listed at the end of this leaflet. Staying at home If you are finding it increasingly difficult to manage at home but don t want to move out, here are some ideas that you may find helpful. Housing Aid Housing Aid Grants/Assistance may be available towards works that enable a property to be maintained and reduce the health & safety risk to the occupants. There is an eligibility criteria for Housing Aid and this will vary depending on the type of grant/assistance that is currently being offered: Funding for housing aid is limited and therefore assistance is targeted at those most in need of assistance. The applicant will normally need to be an owner occupier and in receipt of an income related benefit. More information can be obtained from our Housing Aid leaflet. Equity release scheme If you are an owner occupier and unable to access funding for necessary works to your home, we may be able to assist through In-Touch Home Improvement Agency. In-Touch provide a service which will assist you to access equity from your home to carry out works on your home. For more information, contact In-Touch Home Improvement Agency. Handyperson scheme In-touch also run a handyperson scheme where small repairs to the homes of mainly low income older and disabled people are carried out. 1

4 Help with personal care Adult Services at East Sussex County Council can assess your needs if you think you need personal care e.g. help with getting washed or dressed, or special equipment such as zimmer frames or hand rails. Ring Adult Services for further information. Lifeline alarm A lifeline alarm can provide 24 hours a day home safety and personal reassurance. A the touch of a button a special telephone or small pendant will put a call through to a control centre where trained staff will answer the call and summon assistance as appropriate. There is a small cost for this service. Feeling safer in your home Your crime prevention officer can provide advice about home security. This includes advice about automated voice warning messages, door chains, and door security mirrors to prevent uninvited callers gaining entry to your home. Benefits advice The benefits advice agency or Citizens Advice Bureau can advise you on benefits and ensure you are getting all the financial assistance that you are entitled to. Disabled facilities If you are disabled and require adaptations to your home, we may be able to assist. The Disabled Facilities Grant is available for a range of work that will help a disabled person to fund adaptations to their home and enable them to live independently as possible. Se our leaflet, Advice for Disabled Facilities Grant, for more information. 2

5 Supporting People Supporting People is a government programme that pays for housing related support services that help you to find, or stay in, your own home. An on-line directory explains more about the Supporting People programme and tells you what services there are in your area. View on-line at: and click on information for the public. Sheltered/retirement housing If you want to retain your independence, a smaller easier to manage self-contained flat could suit you. Sheltered housing provides a 24 hour alarm system for emergencies. Sheltered housing is a good option to consider because: There is a choice of schemes across the district With more accommodation available for older people than ordinary housing there is more chance of an offer Sheltered environments allow you to retain your independence while living amongst people with similar lifestyles to yourself Sheltered housing comes in 3 sizes: self contained bedsitters/studio flats, 1 bedroom flats/bungalows and 2 bedroom flats/bungalows (for couples who need separate bedrooms for medical reasons). Those willing to accept a bedsitter/studio can find themselves housed more quickly. Some schemes provide laundry facilities, a residents lounge for social activities, a garden and guest rooms. Check what facilities are available in each scheme. 3

6 Locations and contact details of sheltered housing schemes can be obtained from Rother District Council Housing Services (Tele: ). Extra Care Schemes Extra Care (sheltered) housing is an enhanced form of independent living accommodation with care and support. It is seen by national Government and locally by Adult Social Care as a very important step towards providing better services and accommodation for older people. In Extra Care, all residents have tenancies and fully selfcontained flats, but unlike straight forward sheltered housing, there is 24 hour care provision on site and usually some meals provision. It is this in-house care team that is the crucial element to Extra Care, as it can provide personal care to tenants in the scheme that may otherwise need to move into residential care and who would then, in all likelihood, lose their independence. The scheme would also be fitted with the latest technology in the form of a telecare monitoring system, which can enable the staff team to respond swiftly to alarm calls from tenants and again play a part in the prevention of long term or acute care. Residents interested in moving to extra care housing will, in the first instance, need to contact RDC Housing Department to be placed on the Council s Housing Register after which a joint assessment of care needs will be undertaken by Adult Social Care, Housing and Health. 4

7 How to get more information about care homes Care homes provide long term care and used to be known as either residential or nursing homes. They provide different levels of care, for example personal care as previously provided in residential homes or 24 hours a day nursing care as previously provided in nursing homes. There are also care homes specifically for people over 65 years old who have dementia. A directory of all care homes is obtainable from Adult Services, East Sussex County Council. Further information: The Housing Needs Team, Rother District Council, Community Help Point, Amherst Road, Bexhill-on-Sea. Tele: In-Touch Home Improvement Agency The Lodge Turkey Road Bexhill-on-Sea Tele: Lifeline enquiries: Rother Homes Ltd The Watch Oak Battle Tele: Citizens Advice Bureau 9 Endwell Road Bexhill on Sea TN40 1EA Tel: or Private Sector Housing Team Rother District Council Services Directorate 14 Beeching Road Bexhill-on-Sea Tele: Adult Services East Sussex County Council Social Care Direct (Adult Services) St. Mark s House, 14 Upperton Road Eastbourne Tele: (local rate) Crime Prevention Officer Rother District Council Town Hall Bexhill-on-Sea Tele: Supporting People 2 nd Floor Sckville House Brooks Close Lewes Tele: Fax: supportingpeople@eastsusex.gov.uk 5

8 Leaflets in our Housing information series: 1 What are your housing options? 2 Where can I go to get Housing Advice 3 How to apply for social housing 4 Finding somewhere to rent privately 5 Low cost home ownership 6 What help will you get from the Council if you re homeless? 7 A guide to the Council s rent deposit scheme scheme under review 8 Sanctuary a guide for victims of domestic violence 9 Housing options for older people 10 Housing options for young people 11 What s on for families 12 Housing Aid 13 Advice for Disabled Facilities Grant 14 Advice for landlords 15 Advice for private sector tenants 16 HMO licensing 17 Home Energy Efficiency Advice 6