Health and Wellbeing Innovation Commission Inquiry: Retirement Communities and Care Homes

Sep 27, 2018 | REPORTS

This report explores retirement communities and care homes. As housing is a fundamental component in people’s lives, the suitability of accommodation for people as they age has a significant impact on their experiences, particularly with respect to health and wellbeing.

Health and Wellbeing Innovation Commission Inquiry: Retirement Communities and Care Homes

This report on Retirement Communities and Care Homes is one of four publications from ILC-UK’s Health and Wellbeing Innovation Commission Inquiry. Each of the four reports is based on an oral evidence session where expert witnesses gave evidence to the commissioners, as well as further research from ILC-UK.

As our population continues to age, the demand for robust health and care services continues to grow. ILC-UK established this Commission with the support of the Audley Group and EY to examine the potential for innovation in the areas of health and wellbeing to ensure that such services remain sustainable, address needs efficiently, and contribute to positive experiences in later life.

A team of 10 Commissioners heard evidence from a total of 20 expert witnesses over four separate sessions, looking at what ‘good’ innovation looks like and how we can stimulate it to improve health and wellbeing so that all people can age well into the future.

It took evidence and published reports in four separate areas:

  1. Retirement communities and care homes
  2. The built environment including transport, planning and design
  3. Physical and mental health
  4. Social connections including isolation and loneliness

This Commission Inquiry has been the first to bring together all these different strands and assess where good innovation is happening and where a renewed focus needs to be for all people to age well in the future.

Retirement Communities and Care Homes

This report explores retirement communities and care homes. As housing is a fundamental component in people’s lives, the suitability of accommodation for people as they age has a significant impact on their experiences, particularly with respect to health and wellbeing. Notwithstanding the significant importance many older people place on staying in their family homes, the focus in this inquiry has been on the alternative destinations to private family homes: primarily, specialist housing with ageing in mind as well as residential care settings.

This report sets out examples of effective innovation in the area of retirement communities and care homes, opportunities and barriers to further innovation, and recommendations.

 
Report author: Dr Brian Beach