New Report Highlights Role of Assisted Living Technology for Older People

A new report from Housing LIN has been published today, focusing on the role of assisted living technology within general needs housing. The report is the second in a series of Board Assurance Prompts (BAPs) aimed at leaders and decision makers that are responsible for the management of general housing schemes.

The report, entitled 'Older people living in general housing: The application of assisted living technology to support independence' looks at the role of technology to support independence within general social housing for older people. It has been developed in partnership with Nigel Appleton of Contact Consulting and the GGI (Good Governance Institute).

It is vital for Senior Managers and Board Members to establish a strategic approach to cater for the needs of their tenants, offering robust and flexible systems to ensure that choice is sustained. With approximately 40% of all general needs housing tenants over 65, some of which living in the same home for many years, housing providers have a duty of care to ensure the home is safe and appropriate for their needs.

The aim of the BAP is to encourage decision makers to take full advantage of the opportunities that technologies such as telecare and telehealth have to offer. It demonstrates the proven benefits of assisted living technology within a general housing setting, providing reassurance to service users and their carers, whilst also mitigating risks and enabling cost savings for providers.

Jeremy Porteus, Director of Housing LIN said: "In general housing, an up to date system of technology offers flexible, unobtrusive and cost effective support to respond to the needs of residents, carers and management alike. Yet the uptake of assistive technology in general needs housing has been relatively slow. This paper sets out seven key assurance questions that Board Members and Senior Officers might ask of their organisation, taking into account resident demographics and the strategies in place to accommodate assistive living technology.

"The paper sets out to demonstrate how the technology can support the role of housing in health and social care, promoting intervention and prevention and reducing unnecessary admissions to hospital and sheltered accommodation. For tenants and their families, it is about addressing concerns over safety and security, ensuring they can remain living independently for as long as possible. For the provider, assisted living technology can contribute to the sustainability of the organisation by enabling them to generate cost savings."

The BAP also includes a Maturity Matrix to support the implementation of assistive living technology, from a basic level to exemplary, using technology to enhance support and improve care delivery at home.

Andrew Corbett-Nolan, Chief Executive of the Good Governance Institute said: "For both tenants and management organisations, the flexibility of assisted living technology - the ability to adapt it as needs change over time - provides reassurance for those who choose to live independently. By using the Board Assurance Prompt, housing providers can identify benefits to health and social care partners, demonstrating an improvement in quality of care and the provision of timely care interventions."

Supported by an educational grant from Tunstall, the BAP includes examples of good practice and other key facts, demonstrating the positive impact assistive living technology has had on care services across the UK.

The report is available from www.tunstall.com/resources/evidence

About Housing LIN
The Housing Learning and improvement Network (LIN) is the leading 'knowledge hub' for a growing network of housing, health and social care professionals in England involved in planning, commissioning, designing, funding, building and managing housing with care for older people. Housing LIN offers independent expertise for staff at all levels and across housing, health, social care and related industries.

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