Care homes to be replaced by luxury communities

£76m annual fund set up for new facilities designed to help the elderly retain their independence

TRADITIONAL care homes will be increasingly replaced by luxury developments with spas, hairdressers and beauty salons in a bid to keep pensioners independent for longer, ministers say today. The Government plans will see £76million invested annually for the next three years in new homes specially designed for those who are frail, elderly or suffering from disabilities.

Health officials said the plans aim to keep people independent for longer. Occupants will have their own front door, but there will be more support with use of sensors and video monitoring to track the most vulnerable.

Developers will be able to bid for funds from the programme, which has already seen £315million allocated to projects that design such homes. One scheme, in Manchester, is using the funds to develop 135 flats for the elderly including on-site facilities such as a spa, beauty salon and a bistro. The plans also include dementia-friendly design, landscaped sensory gardens and communal function rooms.

Caroline Dinenage, the care minister, said the schemes aim to ensure that elderly people are able to live in suitable housing, which helps them to maintain their independence. “Far too often, older people who could have stayed at home for longer are ending up in hospital or residential care. We must do much more to ensure the quality of our housing keeps up with ever-evolving health needs,” she said.

Calling for more investment in supported living schemes, she said the Manchester project – developed by the Wythenshawe Community Housing Group, which offers flats for sale, rent or shared ownership – is a prime example of the kind of housing that should be rolled out more widely.

“We need to encourage far more of these developments. Communities like these can improve quality of life, help more people live in the community for longer and keep the pressure off our health and social care system – something we all want to see,” she said.

So far, 3,300 specially designed new homes have been built following previous bidding rounds. Developments include bungalows in one scheme in Bicester tailored to the needs of those with high-level autism that feature curved walls without any sharp edges and bedrooms built a little below ground level to diffuse outside noise. Other projects in London include homes for adults with learning disabilities that include garden areas, substantial communal areas and staff who are available around-the-clock.

Ms Dinenage said: “There are still far too many people living in substandard accommodation, faced with stairs they can no longer climb or cupboards beyond their reach. This is not the quality of life that we would want for our own mothers or fathers – or indeed for ourselves.”