This document provides information about housing and care options in later life. It discusses staying in one's current home through repairs, renovations, adaptations or home care. It also covers alternative housing options such as sheltered housing, retirement communities, or moving in with family. The document emphasizes planning ahead to make informed choices and reduce stress later in life. It provides resources for information and advice.

2. “Thinking Ahead”
Housing and Care Options
in Later Life

3. 1 At the bottom of each slide you will see a button or
Clicking these buttons will navigate you through the module either backwards or
forwards.
2 Need help? Click Albert Einstein and he will bring you back to this page
3 Some of the photos have an information link. If you click on a linked photo, you will be
taken to a page that gives you more information about that photo
4You can leave the module at any time and return to the section where you left off by going
to the contents page and clicking the appropriate section.
5Clicking on any words in blue and underlined will take you to the website for that
organisation where you can find out more information or access advice
How to use this training module

4. Contents
Part 1: Aims and Introduction
Part 2: Quick Quiz
Part 3: Housing Options – Staying Put
i) Repairs, Renovations and Extensions
ii) Adaptations
iii) Assistive Technology and Care at Home
Part 4: Housing Options – Moving
Part 5: Summary

5. Part 1
Aims and Introduction

6. By the end of this course you will:
 Have begun to consider the main factors that could influence any decisions you
might need to make about your future housing and care
 Have learnt more about adapting and repairing your home
 Have learnt about how to get the help you may need to stay in your home
 Have learnt more about possible alternative housing options
 Know where to go for information and advice on housing, care and related
financial matters
Feel more confident about planning ahead and making your own decisions for
your housing and care in the future
Aims

7. What does ‘home’ mean to you?
Activity:
Think about some of the words and images that you associate with home. Jot
these down. Then think about which are the most important to you. This will help
you when making decisions about your housing and care options in later life. You
can even create an ‘Ideas Board’. Cut out pictures, words and phrases that
mean something to you about the concept of home. Then stick these to a board
or large piece of paper that you can put on the wall and use to remind yourself
what is important to YOU!

8. “There’s no place like home”
“Home is the nicest word there is”
“W
herever I lay my hat’s my home”
Happy
Family
Stability
Haven
Refuge
Belonging
Tranquillity
Click to see an example of an ideas board

9. Why think about housing and care
options in later life?
Home is vital to how well we can live and grow older.
Thinking now about your housing options in later life, will help
you to make better informed choices and plan for the future.
(Hopefully) this will reduce the stress and mistakes that may be
made when the time comes.

10. Part 2
Quick Quiz

11. Of all the houses and flats in England, how many
are lived in by people aged 60 years or over?
Question 1
Click on the picture above
34% 54% 74%
Click the answer you think is correct

12. FalseTrue
The majority of older people rent their homes
Question 2
Click on the picture above
Click the answer you think is correct

13. False
Most people live in a care home at
the end of their life
Question 3
True
Click on the picture above
Click the answer you think is correct

14. How much time do retired people spend at
home (on average)?
Question 4
40% 60% 80%
Click on the picture above
Click the answer you think is correct

15. Part 3
Housing Options: Staying Put

16. Staying Put
Points to consider:
 Renovating & Repairing your current home
 Adapting your current home
 Extending your current home – anticipating the future
Photo:JamesBerrington

17. Renovations/Repairs & Extensions to your current home
Staying Put
 Rewiring – if the wiring is old consider replacing it, install higher level sockets
 Lighting – ensure there is adequate lighting around the house, replace low watt light bulbs with
brighter ones, change spotlights for central lighting
 New doors and windows – will reduce draughts and maintenance costs
 Installing central heating/insulation – will keep house warm more efficiently, reduce energy
costs
 Roof – replace or repair? – are there slipped slates? Small leaks? Sagging? If so, a
replacement roof may be needed
 Extension – adding another room for use as a downstairs bedroom or adding a new
downstairs bathroom
Photos:JamesBerrington
Before During After

18. Staying Put
Paying for Renovations, Repairs & Extensions
 Savings
 Use the equity in your house e.g. re-mortgage, loan,
equity release
 Charitable and benevolent funds (loans or grants)
which could be related to your occupation, medical
diagnosis or physical impairment

19. Staying Put
Organising Renovations, Repairs & Extensions
 Use a trusted contractor
 Use a Handy Person from your local
Home Improvement Agency
 Use a Handy Person from your local
Age UK
 Your local Police or Fire Service may be
able to help with security and safety
advice

20. Staying Put - Adapting Your Home
 Accessible – ramps, rails, scooters, widening the
doors for wheelchair access, stairlifts
 Adapted – washing, bathing, toilets, cooking
 Energy efficient and cost effective – central heating,
heating controls, boilers, insulation
 Secure and safe – fire/radiator guards, door chain,
key safe, shatterproof glass, well fitted carpets, better
lighting

21. Staying Put
Some examples of Home Adaptations
Click on a picture to find out more about home adaptations
Photo:JamesBerrington
Photo:JamesBerrington

22. Staying Put
Paying for Equipment and Adaptations
 Savings
 Use the equity in your house e.g. re-mortgage, loan, equity release
If you are unable to cover the cost of necessary adaptations to your
home there are sources of funding that you may be able to get:
 Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG)
 Community Equipment Grants Click to find out more about these

23. Staying Put - Assistive Technology
“ A device that enables a person to do something
they would not otherwise be able to do”
Enables independence and autonomy
Examples include:
 Telecare/Careline
 Memory aids
Click on a picture to find out more

24. Staying Put - Care & Support at Home
A range of services are available to buy in to enable you to stay in your current
home. Can include:
 Personal care
 Gardening
 Housework
 Shopping
 Laundry
 Nursing care
 Meals
 Transport
Click on a picture to find out more about care and support at home

25.  Care assessments are carried out by a social worker
 Financial assessment to determine your contribution
You may be entitled to welfare benefits which can help pay
for this e.g. Attendance Allowance
 You can also buy in private Home Care services – look on
the Care Quality Commission website or ask around for
recommendations
Staying Put – Home Care

26. Part 4
Housing Options: Moving

27. Activity:
Think about the last time you moved home.
Was it a good experience or not so good?
How did you feel?
Were you happy to be leaving your old home or not?
Were you moving through choice or not?
Think about the feelings and emotions you associate with moving home and jot
these down.
Moving
For some ideas click the box

28. Moving
There is a range of options available:
 General housing stock (owned or rented)
 Purpose built housing for older people
 Housing/accommodation and support service
 Living with family or friends
 Alternatives including cohousing

29.  Sheltered Housing
 Retirement Housing
 Extra Care Housing
 Abbeyfield Housing
 Almshouses
 Homeshare
 Residential Nursing and Care Homes
Moving
Specialist Options for Older People
Click on any of the options on the left to find out more

30. Moving
Points to consider:
Location
Social Opportunities
Unit size and layout
Design
Security and Safety
Facilities Click on a picture to find out more

31. Moving
Points to consider continued:
Pets
Service Charges
Management Charges
Resale arrangements
Support services
Click on a picture to find out more

32. Case Study
Mrs Green is 78 years old and a widow. She lives alone in a 3 bedroom,
semi detached house which she owns outright. She has savings totalling
£3,000 and she thinks the house is probably only worth about £125,000
because of the location and condition.
Her only income is state retirement pension and pension credit and she
claims help with her council tax.
Due to arthritis she is finding the house increasingly difficult to get around –
the stairs are especially hard, as is getting in and out of the bath. She is
worried about not being able to look after the garden too, but other than the
mobility problems she is quite well and capable of looking after herself
though she does sometimes feel quite lonely as her only daughter now lives
in France.
Read through the scenario below and jot down the options you think are open to Mrs Green. Then
click the arrow to see the answers.

33. A Moving On Story…
Click on the pictures below to read stories of people’s
experiences of Moving On
Photo:JamesBerrington
Photo:JamesBerrington
Photo:JamesBerrington

34.  FirstStop: www.firststopcareadviceline.org.uk Advice Line: 0800 377 7070
Free advice and information on housing issues for older people, their families and carers
 AgeUK: www.ageuk.org.uk Advice Line: 0800 169 6565
Wide range of free information, telephone advice, website, factsheets & local AgeUK groups
 Independent Age: www.independentage.org.uk Advice Line: 0800 319 6789
Free telephone advice, factsheets & website on home care, care homes & many related matters
 Foundations: www.foundations.uk.com Tel: 0845 864 5210
The national body for Home Improvement agencies and Handy Person services. Can put you in
touch with your local Home Improvement Agency
 Disabled Living Foundation: www.dlf.org.uk Tel: 0300 999 0004
Advice about equipment, adaptations & services to make living independently at home safer
 Turn 2 Us: www.turn2us.org.uk Advice Line: 0808 802 2000
Help to access welfare benefits, charitable grants & financial help online, by phone via partners
National Sources of Information & Advice

35. Summary
 There is a range of options available and it is not always
necessary to move
 Moving doesn’t necessarily have to mean going into a care or
nursing home, there are other options
You are not alone!
Talk to other people
Advice and support are available.