Inquiry into “housing for those living with dementia” seeks evidence into the role of adaptations
The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Housing and Care for Older People has launched a new inquiry taking a deep dive into housing for those living with dementia and is gathering submissions to inform its report.
Chaired by Lord Best and supported by Anchor Hanover, the inquiry will hear evidence over the coming months and make recommendations to government early next year on how to ensure housing policy reflects the needs of the rapidly rising number of people with dementia.
APPG and Inquiry Chair Lord Best said: “Our APPG sits at the nexus of Housing, Health and Social Care. From this perspective, we hope to contribute to the thinking of policy-makers and practitioners – with particular relevance in the context of the Social Care Green Paper – to support older people with dementia living in their own homes.”
According to the Alzheimer’s Society, there are currently around 850,000 people with dementia in the UK and this is projected to rise to 1.6 million by 2040.
With two thirds of these individuals not living in residential care but in their own accommodation, the APPG’s study will consider the policies and practices that can enhance people’s independence and quality of life.
Jane Ashcroft CBE, Chief Executive of Anchor Hanover, said: “As England’s largest provider of older people’s housing and care, we know that appropriate housing can radically improve the wellbeing of those with dementia and have significant benefits for the wider community. The inquiry will make an important contribution to this urgent debate.”
The APPG is seeking evidence covering the links between housing, health and social care to improve the journey of people affected by dementia.
In addition, it is collecting information on the design of new homes and ways to increase the supply of specialist dementia-friendly properties.
Of particular note for providers and suppliers of housing adaptations, the APPG states it also wants evidence and data relating to “changes and adaptations to existing properties to enable people to live well with dementia at home,” as well as “the role of innovative technology to improve the delivery of better care and support.”
Written submissions will help to form recommendations to central and local government and provide guidance for housing providers and should be emailed by the 30th June 2020 to dementia@housinglin.org.uk – the email should be headed ‘APPG Inquiry.’
