Living in Sheltered Housing

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Our sheltered housing service provides self-contained accommodation with access to a residential or visiting scheme warden. It is an ideal choice for older people who want to continue leading an independent lifestyle, in a secure environment.

What is sheltered housing?

Our sheltered housing schemes are made up of flats or bungalows that have been carefully designed to provide you with a secure and comfortable home. All homes are self-contained with a bedroom, kitchen, living room and bathroom. Many schemes also have a communal lounge - providing a meeting area for residents and a place for social activities. Many homes have door-entry systems for added security.

You are encouraged to lead an independent lifestyle with support coming from family, friends or outside agencies such as social services or community health services. Family and friends can visit you at any time and should continue to give support and help when you need it.

What other facilities are available?

Other facilities at our sheltered housing schemes may include:

a common room - this is available to you and your guests for social and recreational activities, or simply as a place to meet and chat
a communal kitchen
a guest room - a friend or relative can stay in this room but it should only be used if really necessary. You will need to book the guest room with the scheme warden, giving as much notice as possible. A nominal charge will be made and guests are asked to leave the room clean and tidy.
a laundry - you can use the laundry equipment, for washing and drying your clothes. Most schemes have a rota system.

What does the scheme warden/supervisor do?

The role of the scheme warden/supervisor is to keep an eye on your wellbeing and look after the building. They do this by:

contacting you (when on duty) to ensure that you are well, either by using the intercom or visiting in person
agreeing and regularly reviewing what general support you may need (by completing support plans)
encouraging your friends and relatives to be involved
dealing with doctors, social workers, hospitals if required
offering you advice and support and getting other service suppliers involved if necessary
making sure buildings and equipment are cared for and maintained
overseeing staff who clean the communal areas and guest rooms
reporting any repairs and maintenance needed on the building
making sure that equipment is checked and in good working order
encouraging you and your neighbours to use the communal facilities
encouraging and supporting communal activities at a scheme
helping residents to set up and run social activities
answering calls for help on the call equipment, either on-site or by making a call from the control centre
getting help for emergencies such as illness or accidents
giving emergency help in the home while other help is called

You will be encouraged to continue leading an independent lifestyle and to support yourself. The scheme warden/supervisor will be able to provide short term support but only in the case of an emergency whilst appropriate care is arranged. The scheme warden/supervisor will not be able to give you medicines or drugs if you are unwell.

How will the scheme warden know if I am unwell?

They will contact you at the agreed time to check that you are well. If you do not respond when contacted they will assume that something is wrong and will treat it as an emergency. If you do not answer your morning call they will assume that something is wrong and they will treat it as an emergency.

If you do not need your scheduled call on any particular day, perhaps if you are staying with relatives, you should tell the scheme warden/supervisor beforehand. Where possible the scheme warden/supervisor will tell you in advance when they are on holiday and what the cover arrangements are.

What happens in an emergency?

If you need urgent assistance, you can either use the pull cord system in your home, press your alarm pendant or use the special phone. Each device works in the same way - by pressing the button on the phone or pendant, or by pulling the cord, you will send a signal to the scheme warden/supervisor who will then investigate and inform your next of kin or the emergency services as appropriate.

If the scheme warden/supervisor is not on-site, the emergency control centre will take the call and deal with it. You should always make sure that the pull cord is not tied and out of reach.

What about charges?

There are separate charges for housing-related support such as for the scheme warden and alarm system. You may qualify for help towards these costs from the Supporting People scheme. For more information, talk to your scheme warden or housing officer.

What about security?

One of the most important features of sheltered housing is the security that it can offer. There is the security of knowing that a scheme warden/supervisor is on hand to help in an emergency and to arrange care and support when needed. There is also the security of living in a scheme where access to visitors can be controlled without leaving your home.

Some security points to remember are:

when leaving the building make sure that outside entrance doors and any other doors, especially the fire doors, are closed
don’t allow anyone into the building unless you are happy that you know who they are and where they are going
keep the door to your home locked at all times. The scheme warden will only come into your home if you invite them in or in an emergency. They may have a master key to get into your home but will only use it in an emergency
before leaving communal areas, please remember to lock or shut any doors or windows that you may have opened.

What about safety?

Take every care to avoid the risk of fire. Never leave pans unattended especially chip pans and, if you smoke, dispose of your cigarettes carefully. There are fire doors throughout the building to prevent the spread of smoke and fire. Never tamper with these doors or wedge them open. A scheme warden/supervisor will tell you about the evacuation procedures and there is a notice on the notice board in the communal area.

If you discover a fire:

Set off the fire alarm at the nearest point, dial 999 and give the fire brigade the full address. Move everybody away from the fire if it is safe to do so and close all doors behind you.