Category: Uncategorized

– Using some case examples from Care & Repair England in the UK, this paper aims to focus on the integration of housing help in a hospital setting.

– The paper gives some background on Care & Repair and the development of local housing and hospital linked projects. The broader debate about the role of housing is then considered.

– Key recommendations from the case studies are discussed and the wider debate on improving integration is considered in relation to the UK Government’s recent Care and Support White Paper.

– The paper considers the role that housing plays in health and social care provision and why people engaged in the sector should continue to work towards better integration of housing, health and social care.

Link: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1108/14608791211288570

– This paper aims to present an overview of the current state of evidence on the effect of housing circumstances, and housing‐related interventions, on adult mental health and well‐being. It covers the entire range of health from chronic illness to positive thriving, and both individual and community‐level/public health.

– The paper is based upon a purposive review, commissioned originally for the UK Department of Health; and therefore is selective in giving priority to research relevant to public policy considerations, and to the UK context. Research with a variety of methodological foundations is considered, where robust enough by its own standards.

– The available evidence gives conditional support to policies accentuating empowerment at individual and community levels; early intervention; locality or place‐based interventions; and integrated working practice. The complexity of methodological issues emerges as a key challenge for research in this field, and for the prospect of evidence‐based national policy. Meanwhile local knowledge and interpretation of data in context may be more reliable than context‐blind studies.

– Where “hard evidence” is unavailable, reports of the lived experience of individuals and in communities remain a legitimate basis for policy and commissioning.

– This appears to be the first attempt in print to cover such a wide canvas in one overview.

Link: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1108/14608791311310546

– This paper aims to describe an evaluation instrument designed to detect physical barriers and risks in basic activities of daily living (BADLs) performance by senior citizens and presents findings obtained in a representative sample of older persons living in housing programs provided by the State of Chile. Its aim is to develop an objective instrument which can serve as reference point for housing adaptations and improvement or for the use in new designs, appropriate to the changing functional capacities of this age group.

– The research is broadly framed in an ecological perspective. It draws on an empirical study, observing older people’s BADLs performance in selected State provided housing in the Santiago area. The approach includes some quantitative but mainly qualitative aspects from a descriptive, explanatory and cross sectional perspective. Objective observation of functional BADLs performance, as well as subjective users’ perspectives, is compared.

– State housing design is significant in BADLs performance, limiting functionality in one third of associated operations observed. These mainly concerned demanding reaching requirements associated with height, but also extended to other inadequacies in design or lack of elements in different situations, which act as barriers or bring potential risks.

– Heterogeneity in the functional conditions of older people regardless of age and gender, as well as different housing types makes it difficult to develop standardized recommendations, requiring a tailored approach in the case of adaptations, thus limiting coverage. Further research should be carried out after performing corrective adaptations to evaluate the impact of these interventions.

– The paper prompts a reassessment, by State housing providers, of the architectural design of housing types for older people as well as the adaptation of existing units to extend independence in time rather than undermine it.

– The study of the effects of architectural design of housing on older people’s independence when performing BADLs is underdeveloped and should be increased in order to promote a better quality of life for this age group through a more friendly and inclusive environment.

– This research attempts to generate an objective instrument, useful to provide evidence for architects, designers and policy makers and suitable to be applied in other housing contexts in order to improve the habitat and older people’s quality of life.

Link: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1108/14608791311310519

– This paper seeks to suggest that social housing can and should be the local hub for cost‐effective, human‐scale health and wellbeing. It aims to explore the way that community‐based housing providers can help health and social care services to deliver long‐term wellbeing.

– The argument is illustrated with examples of constructive practice drawn from membership of the PlaceShapers Group of housing associations, across different parts of England.

– Localism and promotion of public health lie at the roots of social housing, dating back more than 150 years. Because of their physical stake and presence in communities, social landlords are able to offer combined homes and support in a way and on a scale that few private operators can match. So social housing providers are in a prime position to add value and recast the relationship between health, wellbeing, social care and housing. But social housing organisations and their leaders will need to be highly inventive, enterprising and determined to reap the full rewards for service users and neighbourhoods.

– Changes to the health, wellbeing and social care landscape, coming into effect in England and Wales from April 2013, present a unique opportunity to bridge the “parallel worlds” of housing and health. Local housing providers now have the chance to bond their long‐term presence, commitment and investment in communities to the new outcomes required for health and social care.

– The lead author is chair of a grouping of community‐based housing associations working throughout England and is especially well placed to identify examples of innovative practice, such as those described in the paper.

Link: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1108/14608791311310483

– Housing First has been upheld as an evidence‐based best practice for transitioning homeless individuals into permanent housing in a maximally cost‐effective and humane manner. However, there is much variance in the implementation and structure of Housing First programming in the USA. This paper aims to focus on a collaborative, interdisciplinary Housing First effort to house and provide case management and ancillary services to chronically homeless individuals in The City of San Mateo, California.

– The paper is a case study in which the philosophy, structure, and impact of San Mateo’s outreach and housing team are discussed. To explore the project’s impact, data concerning arrests and other criminal justice contacts, as well as health costs associated with these clients, both prior to and post housing and services, were collected and analyzed. These are corroborated with qualitative data on client outcomes.

– After participants received housing and wrap‐around supportive services provided through the collaboration of police, local stakeholders, and non‐profits, the cost of medical care and criminal justice interventions were dramatically reduced. While challenges such as the availability of housing units remain, the findings of this study strongly support the interdisciplinary outreach team as a model for Housing First programming.

– This is an in‐depth study, derived from a particularly innovative project; and therefore the sample size is limited by the size of the project.

– The originality of this study lies in its analysis of a Housing First model which incorporates an interdisciplinary outreach team designed to provide highly individualized care for clients. The San Mateo permanent supportive housing pilot project is itself unique in that it incorporates a Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) comprised of the police, other government entities, local stakeholders, and other non‐profits engaged with homelessness.

Link: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1108/14608791311310465

– The purpose of this paper is to present results from an evaluation of the experience of a move to independent living for people with mental health needs or a learning disability. The discussion focuses on the shift in organisational culture from providing care within a hostel setting to supporting people in their own tenancies.

– The evaluation was underpinned by a participatory action research design. A total of ten co‐researchers with experience of using services or as carers were recruited. Qualitative data was obtained from “before” and “after” interviews with residents, staff and relatives.

– Widespread satisfaction was expressed with people’s new homes. Many residents were found to be increasingly independent. There was some evidence of concerns regarding the pace and process of change and the introduction of new practices to promote independence.

– The timing of the evaluation limited the opportunity for comprehensive “before” and “after” data collection. The involvement of co‐researchers required considerable time and support although the experience of those involved was positive.

– Learning from this evaluation emphasises the importance of support and preparation for staff as well as residents, in moving from hostel to independent living.

– This study highlights the advantages of a participatory design in evaluating a major change in service delivery.

– This paper raises important issues about organisational change. It contributes to wider debates regarding the implementation of personalisation and recovery‐focused agendas.

Link: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1108/HCS-02-2013-0001

– This article aims to describe methodological issues in relation to the definition of homelessness and the drawing of samples of young homeless people in four European countries. The purposes of the research project were, first, to make a comparison of different homeless situations facing young people in these four countries, and second, to introduce early intervention and action planning methodologies developed in the UK and The Netherlands to other countries in the study – Portugal (a family welfare society) and the Czech Republic (an ex‐communist regime redeveloping its welfare policies).

– After extensive discussions and key worker interviews with local agencies, 54 homeless young people were interviewed in each country. Each sample was intended to be purposive in that it should recruit homeless young men and women from those born in that country from the dominant (white) ethnic group, born in that country from minority ethnic groups, and young people not born in that country. A major issue was how to define homelessness in order to be able to recruit across the spectrum of homeless youth.

– The purposive samples recruited in the four countries reflected the availability of services in those countries and levels of family support. Whilst young homeless people in The Netherlands and the UK were mostly living in supported housing, in Portugal they were living as “hidden homeless” and in the Czech Republic on the streets or in squats.

– The methodological difficulties encountered during the project are themselves a useful lesson learnt, for the creation of trans‐national understanding and politicy.

– Nevertheless, despite the very different circumstances of limited services in Portugal and the Czech Republic, it appeared that both early intervention methods and key working approaches could be applied broadly across the EU.

– Transnational studies of youth homelessness are rare and therefore produce particularly useful insights for research, policy and practice.

Link: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1108/HCS-03-2013-0005

– 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.

– 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.

– 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.

– 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.

Link: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1108/HCS-06-2013-0007

– The purpose of this paper is to describe a qualitative study using an idiographic approach to explore professionals’ experience of working with homeless people. The paper took account of the approaches taken by these professionals and the perceived affects and influences inherent in their work.

– The paper used semi-structured interviews and an interpretative phenomenological analysis methodology to explore the professionals’ experience of working with homeless people, with a sample of ten participants (professionals) working within the field.

– Three major themes emerged: helplessness; awareness of early traumas; and frustration at the response of mainstream mental health services. These findings support the view that a specialised personality disorder clinic would help professionals to refer complex cases to mental health services for a comprehensive package of support and care.

– There is limited research into the emotions of professionals working in a difficult clinical settings associated with homeless clients. The paper will help clinicians, health professionals and commissioners identify the coping skills and the resources and tools to support the needs and demands of these service users.

Link: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1108/HCS-08-2013-0010

– The purpose of this paper is to consider the role of housing and housing support services in working with systems of self-directed support (SDS). The paper draws upon findings from an evaluation and follow up study of three SDS Test Sites in Scotland and wider research.

– The evaluation of the SDS Test Sites took place in 2009-2011 with a follow up study in 2011-2012. Methods included a literature review; an analysis of secondary data on the use of SDS in Scotland; interviews with key stakeholders; learning sets in the three areas; 30 depth individual case studies and a large-scale stakeholder event prior to finalising the report. These data are drawn upon to reflect on the implications for housing providers and practitioners.

– The interviews revealed that some SDS users had housing and related support needs, such as to prevent or resolve homelessness, to facilitate resettlement, to prevent hospital admissions, to access supported accommodation or to move from shared to independent housing. For some people flexible housing support seemed to enhance community living, also well-informed independent advocacy could make a difference to outcomes. While there was policy support for the Test Sites, it was notable that linkages between agencies at strategic level were limited, with neither housing nor health services greatly involved in strategic planning. Training, alongside liaison and partnerships, may help to broaden SDS.

– While housing and related support needs and services were not specifically investigated in this evaluation, data suggest that the contribution of housing services may be both under-developed and under-researched in the context of SDS. There are indications that SDS may act as a catalyst for improving housing opportunities provided that collaboration between housing and care services is maximised.

– This paper suggests approaches that may improve and consolidate the role of housing in achieving SDS objectives of maximising user control and choice, improving outcomes and sustaining ordinary living.

– This paper considers the less charted territory of the implications of SDS for the role of housing services. While drawing primarily on recent research in Scotland the themes raised will have wider relevance to housing and care services generally.

Link: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1108/HCS-08-2013-0011