ERoSH members are busy championing the role of sheltered housing as a community resource as part of our 2011 Reaching Out campaign.
In each edition of our ezine we are going to showcase a member running projects to demonstrate the value of sheltered and retirement housing as an asset for older people living in the wider community.
Our 2011 campaign Reaching Out – sheltered housing, a community resource is aimed at demonstrating how sheltered housing can be used as a community hub to provide services, activities and support to residents and older people living in the wider community.
Housing and Care Services at City of Westminster, a member of ERoSH, has been involved in the development of a ‘Health Hub’ for older people at a sheltered housing scheme called Juniper House. The project is a partnership between Housing and Care Services, NHS Westminster and Queens Park Neighbourhood Forum.
The aim of the project was to develop a structured programme of activity at Juniper House, including health checks, health talks, social events, a film club and outdoor trips, to enable older people living in the scheme and in the wider community to live longer and healthier lives.
Other benefits of the scheme include helping people with long-term conditions and their carers to achieve the best health possible, with increased control and choice of their health and care and to enable residents to live independently and enjoy a good quality of life.
The project, launched in 2010, involves 50 isolated and vulnerable people attend twice monthly health social events at Juniper House. The health and social events saw the introduction of NHS health checks at Juniper House and a weekly programme of activities at the scheme, including Wii Fit sessions, dance, massage, flower arranging, as well as health and dentistry talks.
A survey and consultation has been carried out amongst the service users to make sure that the project was delivering what they wanted and that it was accessible to them. The results showed that:
- 50 per cent of people taking part showed improved social results as a result of contact with the project
- 75 per cent of people confirmed a sense of wellbeing following involvement in the project
- 100 per cent of people confirmed improved access opportunities for support, social interaction and friendship
- There was an overall increase in take-up of services and activities amongst isolated vulnerable people in North Paddington.
Kevin Williamson, head of housing with care services at City of Westminster, said: “This project is providing us with the evidence of the important role sheltered housing plays as a health and social hub delivering preventative services within the community using established resources of a scheme manager and a scheme to keep the community safe and well.”
There is a video to show how the Juniper House social and health events put on in partnership with Queens Park Neighbourhood Forum and NHS Westminster are impacting on the physical and mental health of older people living around Queens Park in Westminster.
If you want to find out more about our Reaching Out campaign and how you can get involved download our campaign pack. Please do keep us informed of any activities that support our campaign by emailing Lucy Beaumont – we’re not asking you to do anything different but just shout about the great work you are already doing.
Go back