Research into the changing housing needs and demands of older adults

1. 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 & NT Housing Service Providers Wednesday 28 October 2009

2. 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

3. 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

4. Belfast looking south from Black Mountain: just another city Source: Google Earth

5. A ‘peace wall’ in west Belfast Source: Brendan Murtagh

6. Loyalist wall mural, Belfast Source: CAIN

7. Republican mural, Short Strand "Slan Abhaile” - “Safe Home" Source: CAIN

8. City of Derry (aka Londonderry): the Maiden city Source: Google Earth

9. Republican murals in ‘Derry’ Young petrol bomber with gas mask Civil rights protestors & CS gas

10. Mural in ‘Londonderry’ Source: Google Earth

11. 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

12. 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

13. 1990s sheltered housing, Belfast • 1990s sheltered housing, Belfast

14. 1990s rural HA sheltered housing Carn Court, Rosslea

15. Recent HA developments Sheltered housing: 1 and 2-bedrooms

16. Refurbished NIHE elders’ housing Priory Close, Lambeg Greenview Avenue, Antrim

17. 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

18. 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?

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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