Build the homes we really need for an older generation
Building new types of homes to accommodate Yorkshire’s ageing population could drastically alleviate future pressure on the NHS.
The current crisis has put our health service into sharp focus. And beyond Covid-19, as our population ages, demand will continue to grow.
Keeping people out of hospital is going to be important, and housing will be key.
New figures just released by the Office for National Statistics show some council areas – particularly in North Yorkshire – will see up to 35 per cent of the population aged 65-plus by the year 2043.
Without new types of homes, such as those with on-site care and semi-independent living setups, we could see increased demand from elderly people with a range of health issues.
In the next 23 years we’re going to see significantly more people of retirement age – and at the moment we simply don’t have the housing to allow people to live as independently as possible with various complex health needs.
There are already developers providing new types of properties that fit those needs. Several extra care schemes across Leeds are being developed by Morgan Sindall.
They are part of a strategy from Leeds City Council to deliver 240 new extra care homes by spring next year, and more than 1,000 by 2028.
However, we need to build many more like them right across Yorkshire to provide a sustainable way of living for the big population changes that are headed our way.
Extra care housing combines accommodation with care services, and also helps to alleviate loneliness by providing shared lounges and dining facilities.
Residents often have their own self-contained homes with nearby access to other facilities and care provided by on-site staff. Properties can be rented or owned outright.
This model can also work for many other types of people who may require assisted living support. In particular, there are thousands of mental health patients who need safe housing once they leave healthcare facilities, and a great deal of existing family housing is not considered safe for these vulnerable patients.
Recent research from the Centre for Ageing Better, a programme to improve the lives of over 50s, shows the vast majority of older people live in standardbuilt housing, which may not be fit for purpose.
Collaborative research from the Centre for Ageing Better, Leeds City Council and Leeds Older People’s Forum found enthusiasm among older people for new forms of housing. Some residents suggested that traditional retirement homes would be unaffordable for them, and pointed to developments that mix private homes with communal space and support.
Barton Willmore’s research found that where new housing for elderly people is being provided, it is often targeted at more affluent buyers. This end of the market is growing, but not as fast as lower income groups which will account for some 10 million people.
Meanwhile, devolution and the role of housing associations is set to become central to meeting this challenge.
With their wider wellbeing role in communities, housing associations will need to work with local authorities to provide solutions for older people with lower incomes.
If we are to convince people to move out of family homes and into more suitable properties, they will have to be built where people want to be.