Enhancing housing options for an ageing Ireland
Ireland is rightly proud of being the first WHO-recognised age-friendly country in the world but if we are to continue as leaders and innovators in this field, we need to rethink our approach to housing and supports for older people.
Fold Housing is dedicated to ensuring the changing housing and care needs of older persons are firmly on the Government’s agenda. Fold’s team knows the impact that great housing and appropriate care can have on a persons’ quality of life and continued independence. This is reflected in the organisation’s vision of a society where older people have a great quality of life and choice.
Demographic urgency
With people living a lot longer, Ireland is entering a demographic transformation and the time to prepare is right now. By 2040, more than one in four people will be aged 65 or older and many of us will live into our 80s and 90s. While this is good news and undoubtedly the result of investment in health and ageing supports, these projections also bring profound implications for existing and future services.
We know exactly how many people will require homes that support independent living and timely access to health and care services. At present, our housing, health, and care systems are simply not developing the required capacity to meet rising demand. Most older people live in family homes that no longer suit their needs, they are either too large, inaccessible, or too isolated. Unless we act decisively, too many will face
unnecessary admissions to nursing homes because the right housing and community supports are unavailable to them.
Fold Housing CEO Kath Cottier comments: “Government policy prioritises helping people to remain within their communities, which aligns with the preference of most older persons. But staying at home in your community does not necessarily mean remaining in your current property if it is unsuitable, cannot be adapted, or is too large. By offering appropriately designed housing and care options, it is possible to better meet the needs of older people and to free up larger family-sized homes.”
A spectrum of housing and care
From independent living to specialist care, the Government’s Housing Options for Our Ageing Population policy statement recognises the need for a broader range of choices for older people. However, implementation of the report’s recommendations has been slow and fragmented. Increased delivery of specialist-designed independent living homes for older people is a positive step forward. However, action on housing options that meet a care need is lacking. We urgently need a clear strategy that delivers across the whole continuum of housing options, with smooth pathways between each. Older people should be able to have the choice to move into a home that meets their current needs, confident that as their health changes, additional support and care will be available without uprooting them from their community.
Through the delivery of our new strategic plan, Fold has set itself goals that seek to redefine standards in older persons’ housing. Drawing on the organisation’s unique combination of skills and experience in delivering both housing and care, Fold is seeking to enhance existing models of housing to truly meet the needs of older persons. Fold believes this enhanced model will become an important option for older people, supporting greater independence, security, and enabling people to live well in their own home for longer.
Action on policy and funding
Fold recognises that achieving the organisation’s objectives will require a concerted effort across multiple partners. Cottier says: “We need funding models that continue to actively encourage the development of new homes for older people at scale. We need homes that are accessible, adaptable, and built with communal facilities.
“In addition, we need funding that specifically supports organisations like Fold to work in partnership with residents to reduce isolation and sustain person-centred care services that enable people to stay living at home whilst enjoying a great quality of life.
“We know our homes and care services work, and we are ambitious to develop a Fold model of housing that brings together our skills as a property developer and care provider to further enable our society to better meet the needs of older people.”
As housing and care experts, Fold knows that all future housing and care policies must be focused on bridging the divide between health and housing. Older person’s housing is not solely a health issue, nor is it solely about bricks and mortar. It is about creating environments where people can live independently, with the right supports close at hand.
Cottier continues: “We know that to achieve our ambitious goal, we will need to work closely with our partners across local authorities, the Department of Housing, the HSE, the Department of Health, and all our community and private sector partners to deliver integrated solutions. A combined housing and health approach is required.”
Building on Ireland’s age-friendly foundations
Cross-departmental collaboration through initiatives like Age Friendly Ireland shows what is possible when government departments, local authorities, and community organisations work together.
On collaboration, Cottier says: “We must now build on this strength, embedding age-friendly housing at the heart of national planning. What we now need is a comprehensive national strategy for older persons’ housing, one that is backed by clear funding commitments and aligned across housing, health, and local government.
“This strategy must set out ambitious targets for delivery, prioritise universal and dementia-friendly design, and commit to tackling isolation and loneliness through community-based models.”
Fold knows that the demographic changes Ireland is facing are not distant, they are already here. The organisation firmly believes its vision of a society where older people enjoy great quality of life and choice is within reach. However, the team also know that this will not happen by chance and that it will take commitment, reform, and collaboration. Undoubtedly though, the time to act is now.
T: 01 822 8804
E: enquries@foldireland.ie
W: https://www.foldhousing.ie/
Strategic Plan: https://www.foldhousing.ie/publications/
