Rethinking Intergenerational Housing
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Rethinking intergenerational housing This summary has been published following a year-long grant-funded research project to rethink intergenerational housing. Our goal has been to explore whether and how people of all ages and backgrounds can live independent lives in housing that supports the sharing of skills, knowledge and experience. These following pages outline our findings; if you want to find out more, please get in touch. An project by with Index An project by with People are increasingly living isolated lives; a key way to tackle this is to build housing that brings together social benefit, design and management. Housing in the UK is highly segregated, inflexible and often unsuitable, creating 1. Social benefit emerging crises in special needs and care, affordability and loneliness. These have major impacts on people’s health, increasing costs for society. The term intergenerational housing has been widely used to describe schemes that bring together younger and older people to share activities and to socialise. They have been found to deliver great benefits through ousin tackling isolation, but tend to be ad-hoc and encounter practical difficulties. Our aim has been to learn from these examples and to rethink how they could work as part of a strategic option for mainstream housing. 2. Dsin 3. Management The key to this is to consider social benefit, design and management together at the outset. This research was made possible by Innovate UK and a range of partnering housing and policy organisations. An project by with Research map Policy constraints opportunities This map shows the areas covered by our research project. For a map of the contents Localised of this web resource, please go to the . benefits Business analysis case ocia Benefit S impact Evaluation assessment ngn Operation Pilot service projects housing models rsach sign anagmn S Design Resident Principles Principles organisations Construction Relationships Principles An project by with Elderly mental health • Nearly half (49%) of all people aged 75 and over live alone • Loneliness can be as harmful to health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day A need for change Elderly physical health Segregation in housing is contributing to isolation, unhappiness and ill health Elderly mental• Over health 1 million homes occupied by over • Lonely people are twice as likely to 55’s pose risk to health develop Alzheimer’s health mental Elderly • Nearly half (49%) of Housingall people is a victim aged of its 75 own and success. Over the past century, housing has directly Over 1 million homes By 2040, nearly a quarter 2.7 million bed days for Lonely people are twice occupied by over 55’s (24.2%) of all people in the and older75 patientsaged no longer people all of ) as likely49% to( develophalf Nearly • over live alone contributed to dramatic improvements in pose risk to health; treating UK will be over 65 needing care costsSource: the NHS Evidence Review:Alzheimer’s Loneliness disease in Later Life, AgeUK, 2014 health and life expectancy. Supported and avoidable illnesses/injuries £820m alone live over care housing now enables people to live in older people costs the NHS over £600m a year Elderly mentalindependently health into older age. • Treating elderly avoidable illnesses / London affordable housing This in turn has enabled greater mobility injuries costs NHS over £600m a year of working age people,London but has childcarealso had unintended consequences: specialist • Private rented households pay 40% of • Loneliness can• be Nearly ashousing harmful half has ( 49%tooften health been) of developed allas people in aged 75 and gross incomes on rent overenclaves, live alone especially outside of urban smoking 15 cigarettes a day • 37% of all children in London live in relative centres, whilst general housing has become as health to harmful as be can Loneliness • expensive and sought after in otherpoverty areas; as a result of housing costs • Greater London Authority (GLA) delivery day a cigarettes 15 smoking adaptability and flexibility have been Loneliness can be as Nearly half (49%) of all Private rented households Mental health issues are of affordable homes • 2.7 million bed dayslost as for housing older has patients become either more harmful to health as people aged 75 and over pay 40% of their gross increasing in younger specialised, or marketed to a narrower smoking 15 cigarettes a live alone incomes on rent people no longer needing care, costs NHS £820m day London childcare customer base. As our population ages and 15,000 both employment and housing for younger London childcare people becomes increasingly fragile, we find 10,000 • Lonely people are twice as likely to Source: The Cost of Poor Housing Briefing Paper, BRE 2015 • Lonelinessourselves locked can beinto anas outdated harmful housing to health as target 5,000 develop Alzheimer’smodel. New thinking is needed. Source: Discharging Older Patients from Hospital, Department of Health, 2016 • 37% of all children insmoking London 15 live cigarettes in relative a day homes built affordable GLA • 37% of all children in London live in relative to are people Lonely • Sources: • London parents spend 34% of their salaries 2014-2015 2015-2016 2016-2017likely as twice poverty as a result of housingHomes and aging costs in Englang, BRE 2015 on childcare costs. poverty as a result of housing costs Alzheimer’s develop The Cost of Poor Housing Briefing Paper, BRE 2015 Source: YouGov Plc via http://england.shelter.org.uk/ YouGov Plc via http://england.shelter.org.uk Source: Evidence Review: Loneliness in Later Life, AgeUK, 2014Source: https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/assembly/the-facts-and-figures-on-london-housing Evidence Review: Loneliness in Later Life, AgeUK, 2014 Discharging Older Patients from Hospital, NAO, 2016 Young people have 37% of all children in London parents spend Children have 5% chance http://www.cpag.org.uk/campaigns/child-poverty-london increased pessimism about London live in relative 34% of their salaries on of having someone aged Data compiled by management consultancy the Hay Group their prospects poverty as a result of childcare costs over 65 living in their area A New Generational Contract, Intergenerational Commission 2014 AgeUK, , Life Later in Loneliness Review: Evidence Source: housing costs compared to a 15% 1991 Mental Health of Children and Young People in England, 2017 • Lonely people are twice as likely to developAn Alzheimer’sproject by with Source: http://www.cpag.org.uk/campaigns/child-poverty-london/keyfacts Source: Data compiled by management consultancy the Hay Group • London parents spend 34% of their salaries Source: Evidence Review: Loneliness in Later Life, AgeUK, 2014 on childcare costs. • London parents spend 34% of their salaries on childcare costs. Source: http://www.cpag.org.uk/campaigns/child-poverty-london/keyfacts Source: Data compiled by management consultancy the Hay Group Source: http://www.cpag.org.uk/campaigns/child-poverty-london/keyfacts Source: Data compiled by management consultancy the Hay Group Existing examples Around the world, intergenerational housing schemes are emerging; a sample has been analysed to understand their benefits and limitations Currently, some good examples of schemes that bring together people of different ages do exist with new ones continuing to emerge. Each has a specific purpose, tackling a particular issue and arising from unique circumstances. As a result, none offer a universal model and each has limitations whilst focusing on the benefits to its own residents. To facilitate analysis, we have categorised the examples studied into common themes. i. Rent-a-room ii. Students supporting older people iii. Purpose-built mutual development iv. Adoptive families v. Older people supporting children vi. Co-housing vii. Mixed community Analysis Summary findings An project by with i. Rent-a-room i. Rent-a-room Support given to older ii. Students supporting older people homeowners by younger people iii. Purpose-built mutual development renting a room in their home iv. Adoptive families v. Older people supporting children vi. Co-housing Older people with a spare room can let or vii. Mixed community sub-let the room at low rent or rent-free, in exchange for companionship and/or Analysis some light support. Schemes often have Summary findings sophisticated pairing systems that match the requirements and preferences of both parties. Benefits Mutual and direct benefits to both parties – the tenant receives affordable housing; the homeowner receives some support they need; both parties benefit from a new relationship which helps reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness. Feedback systems can manage and evaluate user experiences. Limitations These benefits are limited to individuals, rather than directly reaching the broader community or helping to form an extended community family. These may not be suitable for many people and specific requirements make it harder to find suitable matches. Due to the nature of this model it is difficult to implement on a larger scale. One of the key identified challenges is early recognition of a need for help for older people. Homeshare UK An project by with ii. Students supporting older people Students given accommodation ii. Students supporting older people within specialist homes in iii. Purpose-built mutual development exchange for supporting older iv. Adoptive families residents v. Older people supporting children vi. Co-housing Students are given low-rent or rent-free vii. Mixed community accommodation within existing care homes, in exchange for providing light support. Analysis This is usually stipulated within the tenancy Summary findings agreement but feedback suggests that students spend more time interacting than is required. Benefits Students receive affordable housing; older people receive company and support. Students are supported by professional care workers so if any issues arise, they are able to seek help. Feelings of isolation/loneliness in older people are reduced, whilst life experience and skills can be gained by the students; feedback from existing schemes reveal that both parties felt they benefited from the relationship.