Keeping wardens attracts residents
I write in a personal capacity to comment on the article on the survey of sheltered housing residents wanting their sheltered housing managers back (Inside Housing, 5 February). I work for Anchor Trust and the survey results echo our experiences.
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We have consulted with our residents in a number of areas where the withdrawal of scheme manager service is proposed by Supporting People commissioners. The surveys have revealed an overwhelming approval of the scheme manager service.
We continue to maintain the scheme manager service, irrespective of SP funding. This has meant passing the cost to our residents. The financial effect on the existing residents cannot be ignored. However, we are aware that new residents are choosing to move into our schemes, because we can provide an element of certainty on the scheme manager service.
The comment by Imogen Parry that a third of residents living in sheltered housing did not want the warden service is very unhelpful. It highlights the problem with the debate on the future of sheltered housing. The debate appears to focus on the model of provision within sheltered housing, when we should explore why and how this group of residents ended up in sheltered housing. What about the needs of the two-thirds that want the support offered within sheltered schemes? The phrase ‘throwing baby out with bath water’ comes to mind.
Sheltered housing should remain an integrated housing and support offer. It must be allocated to the very many residents who need and value the services offered by the scheme manager. The scheme manager service is a low-level, high-impact service that gives residents peace of mind to maintain their independent living.
Where commissioners perceive that older people living in other environments need support or assistance, an additional appropriate service including floating support should be commissioned. In some cases where excessive SP funding is allocated to sheltered housing, which suggests an overprovision, commissioners should proactively decommission poor services and substandard sheltered housing, instead of remodelling the scheme manager service in all sheltered housing.
Yinka Bolaji, head of portfolio and business planning, housing services,Anchor Trust