Hi everyone hope your all keeping well
i’m seriously concidering going into sheltered housing, for my own safety
just wondered if anyone else has already done so
erica xx
Hi Erica, I moved into sheltered housing nearly 3 years ago… aged 56… and was the best decision I ever made!
I was extremely isolated where I was living and would spend up to a week sometimes without speaking to another person face to face. The lift kept breaking down and I was on 6th floor and was stuck for couple of weeks till they fixed it. I had a mortgage and had gone onto benefits and was worried how long I could keep paying the mortgage (Income Support payed the interest but there were already rumours that it might change).
I put my name down for a sheltered housing block where a friend of mine was living. Had to be over 55 (which I was… just) and have a health problem (Ha!). I was interviewed and accepted for the waiting list.
Couple of months later I had a buyer for my flat and was worried that she would get sick of waiting for me to get an offer in Sheltered… when the housing association phone me and said they had a flat available in a different scheme than the one I wanted… but would I like to see it? That was Christmas Eve 2010! I moved in 2 weeks later.
It has made a huge difference to my life. I am not isolated as before. There are various activities… tonight we have film club… Tuesday night is bingo… Wednesday is lunch club… Friday is coffee morning. The people are really nice. I am much younger than most residents here but makes no difference. They were very welcoming and I’ve made some good friends. At same time people respect your privacy and aren’t always knocking on the door. People know about my MS and are very kind and supportive. As everyone here has a health problem I don’t feel like the ‘only one’. Lots of residents use walking sticks, walkers, wheelchairs. At moment I’m the only one with a scooter.
I have emergency cords in each room that go through to a call centre or to the manager when she’s on duty. (She is lovely!). And a pendant also. Instant help if you fall or need help.
Everywhere is accessable and when the lift breaks down (rarely) it is fixed within hours.
I couldn’t get in the bath anymore so the manager arranged and OT visit and the local authority put in a level-access shower for me. I can have one hour a week help with housework, but actually I pay for my own cleaner who I’ve had for some time. They do a care ‘assessment’ every 6 months to make sure I’m getting all the support I need.
My flat is small but very cosy. Housing Benefit pay the rent. Supporting People pay the care support and I pay just under £80 a month for water and heating.
Most sheltered schemes have their own waiting lists and often there’s hardly any wait at all. Find out where schemes are in your area and take a look at them and if you like them put your name down.
Honestly, the idea that sheltered housing are like care homes is so not true. You have your own flat and your independent life but the extra help and support is there if you need it. I have never regretted it for a minute! I feel very safe and have lovely people around me.
Let me know if you have more questions and let me know how you get on.
Pat x
My Neuro suggested that I may end up needing supported living and I think some of the girls on here are living in assisted living so may be they may be able to offer you better advice than me but good luck with what ever you decied to do I am still waiting to find out if I can get my own ground floor flat or bungalow so I can get a social worker.
Good luck
Jon
thanks for you reply’s
Pat what is supporting people , my friend is already in supported housing her flat is great , i’ve stayed the odd night and it is where i think i will end up
erica x
Hi Erica, sorry only just saw your reply.
Supporting People is really just the name for the funding that sheltered housing get from the local authority to provide care and support to residents. It’s added as a charge onto the rent but Housing Ben don’t pay it… Supporting People do.
You don’t have to apply for it. If you get accepted into sheltered or supported housing they apply on your behalf.
There is a difference between sheltered and supported housing. Sheltered is just for older people (usually 55 plus but can vary in different areas), supported is younger people with support needs… although I don’t think there’s much supported housing any more.
The current thinking is that people with support needs should live independently in the community… which works well provided they are getting enough benefits to support independent living. That’s what DLA was set up for… but now of course starting next year lots of people with support needs won’t get the new PIP… and there’s hardly any supported housing left!
Also people under 25 don’t get full housing benefit now and they are thinking of stopping housing ben for all under 25’s. So independent living for people with support needs will be gone!
Sorry to go on but it really gets my goat…
Pat x
Hi Erica, I think Pat`s replies say it all. I know she is very happy she moved into sheltered housing.
If I was on my own, that`s exactly what I would need/do.
Good luck with it.
luv Pollx