Paul Tennant, CEO of The Abbeyfield Society, joined the All Party Parliamentary Group on Housing and Care for Older People at the House of Lords in November.
The discussion featured presentations by Kirklees Council and Housing21 on the supply and demand of provision for older people from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities.
The meeting also highlighted the creation of a Joint Government Taskforce between the Departments of Health & Social Care and Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, in order to safeguard the future of older people’s housing and care provision.
Abbeyfield has been working with Lord Best, co-chair of the APPG, regarding its submission to the Taskforce, which includes the need to focus on upgrading and maintaining existing accommodation and care options around the country, as opposed to focusing solely on new buildings and developments.
The submission also stresses the importance of strengthening the relationships between housing, care and health providers both locally and nationally, of expediating and improving the diagnosis and services for those living with dementia, and of enhancing the advice available to older people, their carers, and families.
Paul Tennant said: “At a time when new build rates are low, and given the current economic climate, we have a real opportunity and an obligation to review the existing available schemes and ensure they continue to be fit for purpose. Providers are faced with extreme challenges of managing schemes and stock that is tired. They desperately require investment to ensure they continue to appeal to older people and their families, and to meet the net zero environmental target through better insulation and decarbonisation. Such improvements will also likely better protect the general health of older people, thereby reducing pressure on the NHS and other health providers.
“We are proud to work alongside Lord Best and other organisations within the APPG to take these recommendations forward to the Taskforce as soon as it is established, so that they may receive Government backing. Our belief is that implementing measures to modernise existing stock, with the proper financial backing, will result in older people receiving housing and care services that are better value for money and have a wider social impact.”
Abdul A. Ravat, Abbeyfield’s head of development and relationships, commented: “Our collaborative work with organisations such as Kirklees Council, Housing 21, and Housing LIN has also shown working examples of how the needs of minority faith and cultural communities have been successfully addressed, and the growing demand for LGBT+-friendly provision.
“As a leading provider of accommodation and care for older people, Abbeyfield is ready to work towards achieving the goals of the APPG, and we are grateful for the support of Lord Best and the other organisations and individuals involved. We hope that the establishment of a Taskforce will help ensure that improving housing and care provision for older people remains at the forefront of Government policy, and that real action is taken to enhance these services, to the benefit of all society for current and future generations.”
