This briefing note was prepared for MSPs on the subject of Older People in Communities

For the debate on Housing through the lens of ageing – 29 January 2019

Outside the Box is supporting around 40 community-led groups and projects across Scotland, many of them in rural areas. The views and experiences we are hearing from older people reinforce the points in the Age Scotland report.

  • Most older people want to stay in the place they know.
  • Local, low-key community resources and activities are an essential part of making that happen.
  • People value these supports but feel they are under threat.
  • There should be strong links between the policies on building social connections and on housing and communities.

The first option people look at are making changes to make their home right for them, and then moving to a new home in that area that works better for them.

  • Outside the Box and Falkirk Council/HSCP worked together to produce practical tips for older people and their families around staying in the pace they know and housing choices. These are now being used in other Council areas to benefit more people and help them have those choices.: otbds.org/projects/moving-assistance-project/

There are added difficulties in rural areas, where people have fewer options on housing when there are not enough smaller homes in an area.

  • We are bringing together the range of organisations around the Aberfeldy area in Perth and Kinross, to give people in the Aberfeldy area to give people more information about the options and choices they have. http://ruralwisdom.org/2018/12/24/lets-talk-housing-december-2018-newsletter/
  • Older people feel Councils could do more to get developers to build a better mix of housing types and include resources that benefit the people living in that community

People worry about local resources closing, such as shops, cafes and libraries and community facilities.

  • Losing social spaces where people meet increases the risk of people becoming socially isolated
  • Local libraries and community halls are closing in many areas and the changes for the remaining community buildings are increasing. The result is that groups of older people who used these venues are not able to meet as often or are folding.
  • When these community resources are still there, the benefits to older people are huge.

The Christie report said that there should be more emphasis on preventative supports and activities, as this benefited the people involved and was a better use of limited public resources.

  • In many communities people find that by focussing resources on people with the highest need, other people do not get the support they need in time, have the crisis of someone going into hospital, and then needing a much higher level of support.
  • Reducing funding to the community services and resources that help neighbourhoods work well adds to making older people more at risk of a crisis.

There are problems with social care, including some that are worse in rural communities

  • Access to care is less when bigger providers will not cover areas because of greater distance
  • The types of smaller care providers that work well in rural communities do not fit the way councils/HSCPs commission care services

There are some very good examples of support that is enabling people to stay in the area they know

 

More information

Outside the Box is a small voluntary organisation that supports people to create strong, inclusive communities.  We work with people and groups across Scotland.

There is more about what we are hearing from the Rural Wisdom project here:  http://ruralwisdom.org/2018/11/20/rural-wisdom-in-scotland-one-year-on/

 

Contact

Anne Connor, Chief executive

anne@otbds.org