Dementia-ready housing in West Yorkshire
We're working to increase the supply of dementia-ready housing - homes specially designed to help people living with dementia stay safe and independent.
We're working to increase the supply of dementia-ready housing - homes specially designed to help people living with dementia stay safe and independent.
Dementia-ready housing is specially designed to help people living with dementia stay safe and independent at home. West Yorkshire Combined Authority is working with partners to increase the supply of dementia-ready homes across the region.
As people get older, their housing needs often change. This is especially true for those living with dementia. In West Yorkshire, we want to make sure people can stay safe and happy in their own homes for as long as possible - and we are working closely with our partners to make that happen.
The Dementia-ready Housing Taskforce supports the Mayor's pledge to ensure housing and related services are dementia-friendly. The taskforce brings together the five West Yorkshire local authorities, the West Yorkshire Housing Partnership, third sector organisations including the Alzheimer's Society, and officers from the Combined Authority.
The taskforce focuses on four areas:
People experience dementia in different ways, but housing design can make daily life easier and safer. The ten dementia-ready criteria focus on simple, cost-effective features including:
For advice and support, contact the Alzheimer's Society, Age UK or your local council's housing options team. Specialist housing options for older people - including sheltered housing, extra care housing and residential care - are explained in full in the dementia-ready housing guidance.
I have been taking my Dementia Champion role very seriously and have so far trained 60 colleagues to be Dementia Friends. This includes explaining what dementia is, how to help people living with dementia, and what we are doing at Connect including as part of the Taskforce. All colleagues have been issued with badges and certificates. It was all relatively easy to do and has already had an impact with colleagues expressing interest in knowing and doing more.
Christine Fox, Dementia Champion and Director of Customer and Community Services
Connect Housing
My contact at Leeds City Council is developing a ‘post diagnosis leaflet’. Previously this didn’t include any reference to housing, however, following our discussion they will include a link to Leeds Housing Options and the Leeds Directory where someone could find more information and support regarding housing.
Juliet Duke, Dementia-ready Housing Taskforce Member and Service Manager
Older People – Extra Care Housing Leeds
We’ve adopted dementia-friendly ‘HAPPI’ design principles in new homes, which include a flexible layout, increased daylight and access to the quality outdoor space. We’ve also introduced assistive technology – for instance 24/7 warden alarm system for peace of mind, which can also be used with a pendant which raises an alarm automatically if a fall is detected.
Helena Doyle, Dementia Champion and Customer Experience Director
Stonewater
Several dementia-friendly guides have been published for proposed older peoples’ housing. There are already some great examples out there, for instance the King’s Fund guide. The unique thing the Taskforce has done is consider and produce dementia-ready criteria for general needs homes, both proposed and existing. This includes quick fixes for existing homes that can be done between tenancies, like changing a lock on a bathroom door, so that someone can open it from the outside in an emergency. Other criteria reflect the importance of community, nature and the outdoors. The Taskforce’s criteria have been developed so that they are clear, relatively easy and cost effective to implement.
Helen Forman, Urban Design Manager
West Yorkshire Combined Authority
