Housing Information Services, Age Concern Swansea

Background

The project offers practical help and advocacy for older people to find accommodation suitable to their changing needs and circumstances. For example, their current property is too large or they are unable to manage the house and/or garden because of failing health or diminished mobility.

There is free information and support for older people, delivered either in their own homes or in our office, about the various housing options that may be available and suitable to meet their individual needs. This includes: giving updated information on sheltered accommodation, private housing and local authority housing; advice and leaflets on residential and care homes; and taking forward the clients’ applications. It also includes practical support through gaining the house sale and move to other accommodation.

What is the problem you are trying to solve?

We are meeting housing related needs of a significant number of disadvantaged older people from among the City and County of Swansea’s 81 000 people aged over 50 years. Six wards within Swansea are identified as having high needs (Jarman and Townsend indices and other studies) and five areas are identified by the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation - Castle, Penderry and Townhill. Swansea has a significantly higher than average number of people over 65 years claiming income support in Wales. Local households occupied by people over 75 years are less likely to have central heating. Swansea residents have higher than the average claims for Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance in Wales. Nearly half (45%) of pensioner households in Swansea are lone pensioners, and half of these live in rented accommodation, and are less likely to have capital to pay for housing needs ¹ .

What local organisations are involved?

We maintain regular contact on clients’ cases with all housing providers and support services.

How many people are running this project and who are they?

There are two members of staff: a Housing Information Officer and Housing Information Assistant, as well as one volunteer.

What local population are you targeting?

Older people aged over 55 years living in the City and County of Swansea. There are no other eligibility criteria and it is based on open referral.

How many people are you targeting?

During 2005-6, there were 200 referrals.

Interventions

What interventions are you using to address the problem?

Personal consultation either in an office or a person’s home; provide updated information on various housing options. Provide practical support throughout process as required.

Is the project design based on evidence? If so, please state reference.

We are not aware of any published research.

Outcome

What outcomes or planned outcomes are you measuring?

There is an intensive monitoring and evaluation process. In all our projects, we look for emotional wellbeing (measured through life satisfaction and self esteem); psychological wellbeing (measured by indicators of anxiety and depression); physical wellbeing (measured by health status and physical functioning); and social wellbeing (measured by indicators of social network structure and support).

No standard outcome measures are in current use in this service; we are working with other Age Concern organisations to agree appropriate measures that are consistent with those used by statutory services in Wales.

Do you have any outcomes or results yet? If so, what are they?

We have information from corporate compliments and complaints procedures, case histories. Latest satisfaction questionnaires (59 sent, 19 returned for the period July to December 2006) indicate 100% satisfaction rate, with 86% describing the service as excellent.

Is your project relevant to a government target or guideline?

Welsh Assembly Targets: two of the key objectives of the Strategy for Older People - to promote the health and wellbeing of older people, and to promote services which enable older people to live as independently as possible. Successful completions do release housing stock (often larger homes) for more appropriate use; for example, for families.

Feedback

What obstacles did you have to overcome to set up this project?

None - clear need identified by the joint team mentioned above, and funding comes from the Supporting People Programme.

What have you learned about the project so far?

We have identified the huge need for support to help clients find suitable properties. Therefore, we will be evaluating the housing situation and related services for older people in Swansea in 2007-8.

What would you do differently?

Nothing

References:

1. Swansea Local Health Board. Swansea Local Health Board and City and County of Swansea: Health, Social Care Well Being Needs Assessment. Swansea Local Health Board. 2003. http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sites3/Documents/267/Swansea%2DLocal%2DHealth%2DBoard%2DHealth%2DNeeds%2DAssessment%2Epdf (accessed 13 April 2007).