Helping older people make decisions on housing and later life
Not everyone wants the same things and as we age we should have choices, given the chance, to decide where we would like to live.
Wales has an increasing and diverse older population, with more over 65s relative to England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. There are key challenges around housing needs assessments, the range of housing options on offer to older people, and a need for an enhanced planning system. In addition, older people need access to information an advice on housing options and finance, along with practical and affordable support to decide if they would like to ‘stay put’ or ‘move on’.
Sarah Hillcoat Nalletamby, an ageing population researcher in the Centre for Ageing and Dementia Research, and a member of the Welsh Government Expert Group on Housing an Ageing Population has been working to highlight the housing needs in later life, both in the UK and in France.