Is Remodelled Extra Care Housing in England an Inclusive and ‘Care-neutral’ Solution?

Abstract

This paper reports findings from a two-year EPSRC-funded study that examined how sheltered housing and residential care homes in England had been remodelled to Extra Care Housing (ECH). ECH is a relatively new type of housing for older people, which aims to provide flexible care while fostering independence, though no agreed definition of ECH exists. Ten case studies of social housing schemes that had been remodelled into ECH were chosen from different regions of England. Access and assistive technology in flats and communal areas were audited by a multidisciplinary team. The aim of this paper is to examine the impact that some of the successes and failures in improving accessibility during remodelling had on care provision. Even after remodelling, the design and layout of most buildings did not fully satisfy current accessibility standards, leading to an increased need for care for some tenants once the building was reoccupied. Successful examples of accessibility, assistive technology and care integration required both active tenant involvement and creative design input from care staff, architects and builders who were assistive technology and accessibility aware. It will be argued that for new and remodelled ECH buildings to be care-neutral, designers need to work towards the most inclusive model of ECH.