04 | Designing for Specific Circumstances

Housing for older people

Most older people live in general needs housing and, as they age, wish to continue living independently in their existing neighbourhoods. The benefits that Universal Design bring are therefore particularly significant when designing housing for older people, or housing that a younger person will be able to continue living in as they age. Homes designed to Universal Design standards can be easily adapted to meet the evolving needs of most people and thereby allow people to continue to live independent lives in their own homes and neighbourhoods as they age.

Guidance on designing to Universal Design standards will ensure that, with only very minor adaptations, many people will be able to continue living in their own homes and communities for as long as they wish.

REFERENCES AND WEBSITES

• The webpage contain a comprehensive record of design-related resources relating to age in the UK: https://www.housinglin.org.uk/ 
• Age Friendly Ireland, (online). Housing for Older People: Future Perspectives. Available at: http://agefriendlyireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Housing-for-Older-People_-Executive-Summary.pdf. (Accessed August 2018).
• Clúid Housing Association, (2016) (online). Clúid Housing’s Design Guide 2016-2020. Available at: https://www.cluid.ie/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Clu%CC%81id_Design-Guide_web-1.pdf. (Accessed August 2018).
•  Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, (2007) (online). Quality Housing for Sustainable Communities, Best Practice Guidelines for Delivering Homes Sustaining Communities. Includes guidance on designing to lifetime home standards. The original 16 Joseph Rowntree Foundation Standards for Lifetime Homes are included in Appendix (ii) of the document. Available at: https://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/migrated-files/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/Housing/FileDownLoad%2C1979%2Cen.pdf. (Accessed August 2018).
• Directory of DH Funded Extra Care Schemes (UK).
• Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, Department of Health, (2019). Housing Options for Our Aging Population, Policy Statement, Government of Ireland. Available at: https://health.gov.ie/wpcontent/uploads/2019/02/HousingOptionsforanAgeingPopulationEng_Web_compressed.pdf (Accessed May 2019).
• DWELL Project, (online). The DWELL project investigated how the design of houses and neighbourhoods can facilitate mobility and well-being for current and future generations of older people. Available at: http://dwell.group.shef.ac.uk/ (Accessed August 2018).
• Fox, S. and Kenny, L. (2015) (online). A Home for Life, the housing and supports needs of Clúid’s Older Tenants. Clúid Housing. Available at: https://www.cluid.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/A-HOME-FOR-LIFE-FINAL-28-10-15.pdf (Accessed August 2018).
• Habinteg Housing Association, (2011). Lifetime Homes Design Guide. HIS BRE Press.
• HAPPI, (2009) (online). Housing our Aging Population Panel for Innovation. GOV.UK. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/378171/happi_final_report_-_031209.pdf/. (Accessed August 2018).
• Homes for Smart Aging Universal Design Challenge. The Rebuilding Ireland Homes for Smart Aging Universal Design Challenge, (2017) (online). This aimed to stimulate and encourage the design and construction industries to be innovative in designing and delivering housing solutions for older people to implement Action 2.19 of Rebuilding Ireland. Available at: http://universaldesign.ie/News-events/News/Homes-for-Smart-Ageing-Universal-Design-Challenge.html. (Accessed August 2018).
• Housing LIN, Case study 152, (2019). Designing inclusive Later Living communities for HAPPI residents.
• Housing LIN, (online). Strategic Housing for Older People: Planning, designing and delivering housing that older people want; A resource pack. Available at: https://www.housinglin.org.uk/_assets/Resources/Housing/SHOP/SHOPResourcePack.pdf. (Accessed August 2018).
• Housing LIN, (online). What is Extra Care Housing? Available at: https://www.housinglin.org.uk/_assets/Resources/Housing/Housing_advice/Extra_Care_Housing_What_is_it.pdf. (Accessed August 2018).
• Housing LIN Resources Library, (online). Available at: https://www.housinglin.org.uk/Topics/type/. (Accessed August 2018). This  online resource contains an extensive range of other free resources on designing, planning, commissioning, funding, developing and managing housing for an ageing population.
• Irish Wheelchair Association, (online). Available at: https://www.iwa.ie/. (Accessed August 2018). Advocates for the needs of people with physical disabilities and provides services and support.
• Porteus, J. and Park, J. (2018). Age-friendly Housing: Future design for older People. RIBA Publishing.
• Royal College of Occupational Therapists, Housing LIN (2019) Adaptations without delay, A guide to planning and delivering home adaptations differently. Available at: https://www.housinglin.org.uk/_assets/Resources/Housing/Support_materials/Other_reports_and_guidance/Adaptations-Without-Delay.pdf (Accessed June 2019).
• Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland, Research Report, (2018). Designing Homes for An Aging Population.
• Studio Weave in collaboration with the Royal Institute of British Architects, (2018). Living Closer, The Many Faces of Co-housing. RIBA.
• Universal Design Guidelines for Homes in Ireland, (online). Provides guidance on the design of new homes that will generally meet the needs of an aging population. Available at: Available at http://universaldesign.ie/Built-Environment/Housing/. (Accessed August 2018).
• Walsh, Dr C. (2018) (online). Evaluation of Phase 1 of the Dublin City Age Friendly Housing with Support Model in Inchicore. Dublin City Council and the Housing Agency. Available at: https://www.housingagency.ie/Housing/media/Media/Our%20Publications/Housing-with-Support-MODEL-Web.pdf . (Accessed August 2018).