DementiaRoadmap

Older people consistently say that they want to remain at home, as they age. For most people, this will not be a problem, but some will need a bit of help to enable them to do this. Living in the right home with the right physical features is clearly important, but so are support services, many of which are provided by the housing sector. The right support can provide the key to enabling people to remain independently at home and, in most cases, costs a fraction of the residential care alternatives.

With the twin challenges of an ageing population and reduced availability of public funding, we need to change the way we deliver services to focus on those which help support independent living and prevent or reduce the need for more intensive services. This will not only achieve what older people want, but will also help us to make the best use of our limited resources.

This strategy has been developed in partnership with the housing, health and social care sectors – public, private and voluntary – and in consultation with older people. It presents a vision for housing and housing-related support for older people, the outcomes we want to achieve and a framework of actions we will take.

Download Age, Home and Community: A Strategy For Housing For Scotland’s Older People 2012-21

While this strategy focuses on those older people who have particular housing-related support needs, we must remember that older people, whether or not they need support, contribute much to our communities. Many unpaid carers are also older, as are many volunteers who provide other forms of support to older people.

This strategy proposes ways in which we can all help to realise the aspirations of enabling older people to live independently at home. It is aimed not only at those who are older now, but also at people preparing for retirement, who need to consider options for older age before they reach it. Our focus is on prevention and giving people the choices they need to live the best lives possible.