A Government-appointed task force has been shown firsthand how a pioneering approach to ensuring older and disabled people can remain living in their own communities could prove vital in addressing the major challenges of social care and housing shortages.
As a council, we have been at the forefront of the Extra Care movement, introducing a series of housing developments tailored to the needs of communities to ensure older and disabled people remain living independently in more than 1,500 apartments in towns and villages across the county.
To mark the 20th anniversary of the first Extra Care scheme being introduced in North Yorkshire, a conference has been held involving key figures in the specialist housing and care sectors.
The conference was attended by members of the Government-appointed, independent Older People’s Housing Taskforce, which gave them an opportunity to learn about the barriers and opportunities to tackle pressures linked with delivering housing for older people.
Representatives from the task force visited Extra Care schemes in Sowerby and Thirsk on the eve of the conference to speak to both residents and staff.
They were given the chance to see how the developments have allowed older and disabled people to remain living independently while care workers are available to support them.
The chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Housing and Care for Older People, Lord Best, also spoke at the conference which was staged at Harrogate’s Crown Hotel on Friday (November 10) to influence the next phase of Extra Care housing.
Lord Best, who has chaired the Hanover Housing Association which has been responsible for Extra Care housing schemes in North Yorkshire and overseen nine inquiries for the Housing our Ageing Population Panel for Innovation (HAPPI), said: “Congratulations are due to North Yorkshire for bringing together key people to celebrate housing and care projects for older people and to set out the path for the development of more excellent Extra Care projects.
“North Yorkshire deserves real credit and appreciation for becoming a leading council in this important field. As we share lessons learnt over 20 years, we must hope that others will be inspired to follow the example of North Yorkshire for the benefit of thousands more older people.”
According to the National Housing Federation, it is projected that 38,000 new homes for rent for older people will be needed nationally on an annual basis, far in excess of the annual average of 8,000 properties over the past decade.
Other delegates included representatives from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the Department of Health and Social Care, and Homes England as well as specialist housing providers such as Arco, Housing 21, Lovell Later Living and the Audley Group and 36 other local authorities.
The conference also saw the launch of a network of adult social care commissioners who are looking to deliver and expand housing with care provision for older people nationally.
The executive member for health and adult services, Cllr Michael Harrison, spoke at the conference and gave opening and closing addresses to the 210 delegates.
Cllr Harrison said: “We have seen the significant benefits that Extra Care has brought to thousands of people in North Yorkshire throughout the last 20 years, allowing them to live independently in the communities that they love.
“The conference gave us an opportunity to highlight all the good work that has been undertaken here in North Yorkshire, while also looking towards the future as well. To have some of the most respected and knowledgeable people in the sector come together to discuss the challenges which we are facing both here in North Yorkshire and nationally was invaluable.
“This has given us the chance to share our experiences and show how Extra Care can provide at least some of the answers to the significant challenges across the country to ensure we have the care provision that will be needed for generations to come.”
The Extra Care programme launched in North Yorkshire in 2003, and there are now 28 housing schemes, with properties for rent and to buy, with more developments planned.
The Extra Care schemes offer both purpose-built housing as well as on-site care workers available around the clock, and some developments also host facilities such as a library, a shop or a café. Twenty years ago, the original plan was for 20 sites to be opened by 2025, although that figure is now expected to be as high as 30 schemes.
Anne Swales, 83, who has lived at the Meadowfields Extra Care scheme in Thirsk for the past six months, said: “It has been such a welcoming environment that I found myself in, with both the other residents and staff. I have been able to keep my independence, which is such an important thing for me, while knowing that help is there should I need it.
“It was a privilege to be able to explain how Extra Care has changed so many people’s lives to the task force, and I hope they were able to see just how important these schemes are.”
The conference was staged by the council in partnership with Partners in Care and Health, which involves the Local Government Association and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, and the Housing Learning and Improvement Network (LIN), whose members include housing, health and social care professionals nationally.
Housing LIN’s chief executive officer, Jeremy Porteus, said: “We were proud to support this conference in North Yorkshire as an opportunity to reflect on and plan for future Extra Care housing, and even more delighted to see so many sector-wide leaders gather for such an occasion.
“Drawing from our experience overseeing the Department of Health's Extra Care Housing Fund from 2004 to 2015, Housing LIN views Extra Care housing as a model that aligns housing, health, and social care services to provide a comprehensive and supportive environment for individuals with care and support needs, particularly older adults. By holding an insightful event such as this, we seek to improve health outcomes, enhance the quality of life, and promote efficient resource use in the context of care.”
The county’s first Extra Care development, The Orchards, in Brompton, near Northallerton, celebrated its 20th anniversary in May, and there are now schemes in towns and villages across the county. Facilities are based in locations including Tadcaster, Bentham, Settle, Leyburn, Richmond, Harrogate and Knaresborough as well as Filey, Scarborough, Bainbridge, Castleton and Easingwold.
The development of Extra Care housing in North Yorkshire has come amid a dramatic shift in its demographics with more older people living in the county. It is predicted that the number of people aged 65 and over in North Yorkshire will have risen to 215,117 by 2043, equating to a third of the county’s population.
The success of Extra Care in the county has been due to a partnership between local government, the Government’s Homes England agency, which is responsible for housing investment, and local housing associations and developers. A total of £9 million has been invested in Extra Care facilities in North Yorkshire in the past few years alone.
Accommodation varies from site to site, offering homes for outright purchase, shared ownership or rent, in different combinations. There are generally one and two-bedroomed properties available. We are now looking to work with housing association partners to plan and build new Extra Care schemes, and further announcements are expected in the coming months.