Housing design, maintenance and adaptations will play a key role in supporting the Government’s plans to increase care at home for older people according to ageing and housing experts at the University of Stirling.
The university says that delivering more care in people’s own homes will require more than reform of the social care system. Housing providers and policymakers will also need to consider how homes can be adapted as residents’ health and care needs change.
The University of Stirling has established expertise in healthy ageing and housing, including through its award-winning Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC), which advises on the design of dementia-friendly residential and commercial environments. Recent work by the DSDC included adapting the living spaces of Lady Helen Stewart, wife of former racing champion Sir Jackie Stewart, as her dementia progressed.
The university is calling for greater consideration of how housing can be designed and adapted to meet the needs of an ageing population. Its research suggests that future proofing homes could help support healthy cognitive ageing, maintain independence and enable people to remain living safely in their own homes for longer.
Vikki McCall, Professor of social policy at the University of Stirling, said: “Future proofed housing is a crucial piece in the jigsaw puzzle that will be social care reform over the next number of years. Our research at Stirling has shown that design, adaptations and equipment in the home can be life-changing for an older person, and for their carers and family members. If we want to support people to age in place, we must think about inclusive design that helps people stay at home for longer, makes caring easier, and can prevent falls and enable essential day-to-day activities
“We believe the way forward is a joined-up approach, where business, the public sector, health, social care and housing providers are all part of the discussion about improving our housing stock for an ageing population.”
Lesley Palmer, Professor of ageing and dementia at the University of Stirling and one of the architects behind Sir Jackie Stewart’s apartment design, said: “Policymakers should not underestimate the strength of design when it comes to supporting healthy cognitive ageing. If the future of social care in England is more care at home for older people, it’s a brutal reality that housing design, as well as urban planning, will have to catch up to help serve that purpose. I’ve witnessed first-hand international examples of urban planning which embrace innovative approaches to healthy ageing. Early intervention of age-friendly, inclusive design across the life course is a must for the Prime Minister’s plans to work.”