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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review the management of the (accessible) social housing stock as a means to achieve a cost effective solution to meeting the needs of an ageing population. The paper examines the costs and effectiveness of an accessible housing register (AHR) as the primary means social landlords have to utilise accessible housing stock efficiently. Design/methodology/approach – The paper examines the cost effectiveness of the most advanced AHR in the UK. The data for the study was collected in 2009 (costs/expenditure quoted relate to that year) and is derived from a combination of interrogating computerised allocation records and the collection of information on costs through interviews with local authority staff. Findings – The concept of an AHR can involve substantial set up costs. The financial analysis to assess their cost effectiveness proves complex but suggests that an efficient full register could be more than justified in these terms if it led to a reduction in costs, through the removal of the need for a relatively small number of adaptations in the first years of a tenancy. Originality/value – This is the first study that assesses the financial case for AHRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- Appropriate housing for the growing population of older adults is becoming an international concern. The purpose of this paper is to report on a review of UK and international literature carried out as part of a project exploring the commissioning and delivery of social care in housing with care settings. The paper also considers housing with care in the context of UK policy and practice. Design/methodology/approach -- The peer literature review process used a range of academic databases as well as government and third sector web sites, drawing on relevant material in English published from 1990 to 2012. Findings -- Findings are presented within three main themes: how care and support is provided; the role of the built environment; and the benefits for resident well-being. The review found a paucity of literature focusing specifically on care and support in housing with care settings, particularly in terms of how social care is delivered, but the evidence base suggests that housing with care is in a strong position to deliver on most if not all UK government aspirations. Practical implications -- Despite a growing literature both in the UK and internationally exploring the characteristics and benefits of housing with care for older people, substantial gaps remain in the research evidence. Originality/value -- This paper presents an up to date review of the housing with care literature in the context of current UK policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore whether handyperson services are able to meet the needs of diverse groups of older people, specifically in the UK policy context, to meet the requirements of the Equality Act (2010). Design/methodology/approach – The scoping review of the literature was conducted in 2012 using a wide range of literature from the UK. Findings – In an under-researched field it is difficult for policy makers to determine whether handyperson schemes and their associated services are accessible to and being used by all sections of the older population. Schemes do not generally collect and report data about their users. Research limitations/implications – The scoping review concentrates on UK literature. There are a variety of handyperson schemes and they operate in different ways with different criteria and priorities. Some of the accounts of handyperson schemes provide little data about user characteristics. Practical implications – The paper suggests how handyperson schemes may be able to meet the requirements of the Equality Act (2010) by outlining what data are needed and approaches to gathering it sensitively and proportionally. Originality/value – The paper is the first to consider the implications of the Equality Act for handyperson schemes, which may be relevant to other housing and care services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to assess frailty, geriatric conditions and multimorbidity in people experiencing homelessness (PEH) using holistic evaluations based on comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) and draw comparisons with general population survey data. Design/methodology/approach: Cross-sectional observational study conducted in a London-based hostel for single PEH over 30 years old in March–April 2019. The participants and key workers completed health-related questionnaires, and geriatric conditions were identified using standardised assessments. Frailty was defined according to five criteria in Fried's phenotype model and multimorbidity as the presence of two or more long-term conditions (LTCs). Comparisons with the general population were made using data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing and the Health Survey for England. Findings: A total of 33 people participated with a mean age of 55.7 years (range 38–74). Frailty was identified in 55% and pre-frailty in 39%. Participants met an average of 2.6/5 frailty criteria, comparable to 89-year-olds in the general population. The most common geriatric conditions were: falls (in 61%), visual impairment (61%), low grip strength (61%), mobility impairment (52%) and cognitive impairment (45%). All participants had multimorbidity. The average of 7.2 LTCs (range 2–14) per study participant far exceeds the average for even the oldest people in the general population. Originality/value: To the best of authors' knowledge, this is the first UK-based study measuring frailty and geriatric conditions in PEH and the first anywhere to do so within a CGA-type evaluation. It also demonstrates the feasibility of conducting holistic evaluations in this setting, which may be used clinically to improve the health outcomes for PEH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to learn lessons from North America on housing an ageing population, both in terms of supporting people to "age in place", and available options for those who need/wish to move. The project, funded by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, comprised a six-week travel fellowship to USA and Canada to meet with housing professionals from the public and private sectors and find out about best practice initiatives and efficient models for housing older people.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is in two parts, of which this is the second. Part 2 focuses on the links between housing and health and, recognising significant differences between the countries, draws out lessons which may be applied as similar challenges of austerity, an ageing population and the increasing interest in personal budgets are faced.Findings – There is no one size fits all approach to addressing the housing needs of the older population; a continuum of options across tenures is required. There are opportunities for growth in the private and non-profit sectors in terms of the provision of services for the ageing population. Large scale social change comes from better cross-departmental coordination and cannot be achieved by the isolated intervention of a single organisation. Originality/value – This was a unique opportunity to learn lessons from North America on how to effectively meet the needs of the older population, now and in the future. The findings are based on the personal observations and conclusions of a housing practitioner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction to the journal is presented wherein the editor discusses various articles published within the issue on topics including lessons on housing for older persons in Northern Ireland, a four-site study of youth homelessness, and the development of the market for social care in Great Britain.