The Fife Dementia Strategy: 2010 – 2020 - The Knowledge Network

4.5 Housing
AIM
Support people with dementia to access housing options which meets
their care and lifestyle needs including appropriate support to remain in
the home of their choice.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO ACHIEVE THIS
4.5.1 The housing needs of older people and people with dementia are
identified in the Fife Council Specific Needs Housing Approach, and are
given appropriate housing choices in Housing Options discussions.
The number of older people living in Fife is increasing at a dramatic rate, and
with the shifting balance of care from institutional environments into the
community, peoples’ homes are increasingly becoming the location for a
range of support and care activities. It is thus important that houses are
appropriately designed and equipped for the provision of care (for example
bungalows without steps/stairs, bedrooms large enough for a bed to be
turned, main floor bathroom facilities including showering, and wheelchair
accessible doorways). This will present many challenges to the current
housing situation as the care and support provided to older people if often
linked to the accommodation lived in, rather than the needs of the individual.
This is of concern, especially as the governments focus remains on providing
affordable housing that is built to barrier-free standards. It is intended that
such barrier-free housing will have the flexibility to be adapted to suit the
needs of people with dementia; however resources and services for
adaptation and other support for the specific needs of the aging population
whose homes, new or old, may grow unsuitable as their physical and
cognitive abilities change, are limited.
Age brings with it a greater acknowledgement of interdependence with family,
community, services, and neighbourhood. To achieve the right balance
between these means looking at planning for new homes and
neighbourhoods which can sustain the changes of a lifetime; providing
impartial information at an earlier stage so that people can make better
informed and more confident decisions about a greater choice of quality
housing options; have access to increased support to enable people either to
stay in their own homes; or to move on.
To meet the challenges due to the aging population we must work across
health, social care and housing services to plan for homes and communities
that people can live out their lives in. People should be supported to remain
independent, and feel safe in a community with their families and friends, and
with accessible facilities around them for as long they wish to. We want to
ensure that people are able to make the right choices at the right time with the
right range of ‘specialist’ housing available for those who need more support
including sheltered, very sheltered and extra care housing. Housing is central
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