The value of supported housing
Written by Trent & Dove Housing
The value of Supported Housing has been highlighted after equipment provided by Trent & Dove may have saved the life of one of its residents.
Thanks to an alert pendant provided in all our Independent Living Schemes, Gill Stride, 80, contacted a 24-hour call system, which immediately summoned paramedics to her self-contained apartment in Dove & Meadow Court, in Burton upon Trent.
Mrs Stride, who lives alone, said: “It was a life-or-death situation for me when I had struggled with pain from my cancer during the night.
“I pressed my alert pendant for a warden, and the ambulance immediately arrived. They said if it had been 10 minutes longer, I may have died.
“The pendant gives you peace of mind that there is always someone around if the worst should happen.”
Alert pendant
Pendants are available to residents should they need or want them. Pull cords are also fitted in the flats and communal areas connected to the warden call system. The call goes to a personal alarm service that provides 24-hour support and to an on-site manager.
Starts at Home Day
The value of our four over-55s Independent Living Schemes was celebrated during Starts at Home Day on Friday, 30 August. This national day shines a light on the work housing associations do to provide crucial care and support to residents, help people live independent and happy lives and build thriving communities.
Recent research from the National Housing Federation shows that were it not for supported housing, 41,000 more people would be homeless, with a further 30,000 people at risk of homelessness.
With the Department for Health and Social Care predicting that demand for supported homes in England will increase by 125,000 by 2030, the effects of this lack of supply are already being felt across systems.
What our residents say
As part of Starts at Home Day we spoke to residents from across our schemes to share their backgrounds and how their Supported Housing has changed their lives.
Marjorie ‘Marge’ Simpson, 80, lives in Chestnut Grange, praised the safety, saying: “I heard such good things about this place. If you need anyone, you can fetch them. We have a fob which we can press to alert someone. It is a massive reassurance.”
Many have been residents for several years often finding themselves unable to cope with maintaining their large homes by themselves. They also praised the community aspect of supported housing having spent, sometimes, years living alone.
Brenda Bartram, 94, lives at Elizabeth Court and loves the activities each day, which consist of bingo, brunch, a coffee morning with lunch, and a raffle. She said any prizes not claimed are donated to the local homeless charity Burton Hope. On Thursday, it is games, with dominoes and scrabble being the favourites.
Val Johnson, aged 85, is part of the social fund organiser at Chestnut Grange. She said: “The community here is great. We meet for a chat and put the world to rights. If you are sat alone in your flat all day, it is a very long day.”
“It is a great atmosphere, and everyone is settled.
“It is the social aspect which is the best. They have the freedom to go out.
Elizabeth Court also has a great partnership with the local Abbot Beyne School.
In 2020, pupils started sending letters to residents who had to isolate. This began a beautiful friendship which sees pupils visiting the scheme and taking part in crafts, breaking down barriers.
About our independent living schemes
Dove & Meadow Court, Elizabeth Court and Chestnut Grange, in Burton upon Trent, and Highwood Court, in Uttoxeter, have 180 self-contained apartments combined, considering all accessibility issues for their residents, many of whom are disabled.
Martyn Hale, operations director at Trent & Dove, said: “We believe everyone deserves a safe, secure, and supportive place to call home. Our Independent Living Schemes are not just about providing a roof over someone’s head - they are about enabling our residents to lead fulfilling lives with dignity, independence, and a strong sense of community.
“Days like Starts at Home Day are crucial because they spotlight the importance of supported housing. They remind us of these services' impact on individuals’ lives.
“Starts at Home Day is not just a celebration of what has been achieved, but a call to continue our work, ensuring that everyone in our community has access to the housing and support they need.”
Pictured: Chestnut Grange residents