Possibly. All the housing with care schemes in Southampton accommodate a mix of residents with a variety of health, care and support needs ranging from the very low to high. The accommodation is accessible and easy to manage. You would normally need to be assessed by Adult Social Care to determine suitability for housing with care and our staff can talk to you about what that means.
If housing with care is not for you, there are other supported housing complexes dedicated to people over the age of 55 which may be more suitable.
The biggest difference is that housing with care has care staff on duty 24 hours a day, alongside support staff. Some housing with care schemes also have a restaurant/café available as well as social activities that you can join if you wish.
It is important to listen to advice and explore different options to find which one is the most suitable for you. Housing with care means that you have your own home, you control your own money, and have privacy and choice over how much interaction you have with other residents. The support staff and the care workers will help you to look after yourself and will enable you to maintain your independence for as long as possible and try to ensure that your routines stay as normal as possible, if that is what you wish.
We expect people's needs to change – not always for the worse! There may be times when you need a lot of care and support, but there may be times when you need much less. The staff are there to enable you to make choices and the aim is to help you live independently for as long as possible.
Possibly. Many people who develop dementia when living in housing with care can continue to be supported in their home by staff and family as before. Although the housing with care schemes in Southampton currently do not have specialist dementia flats, the support and care staff are highly trained in supporting older people with dementia and they would be able to discuss your parents' needs with you.
The aim of housing with care is to provide a home for life and although this may not always be possible, it is the aim.
Southampton has four housing with care schemes – three are owned and managed by Southampton City Council and the other by Saxon Weald Housing Association. A new council-managed scheme, Potters Court, is currently under development and is due to open in 2021. The care staff are funded by Adult Social Care.
To apply for housing with care, you must be eligible to join the Housing Register. There are set criteria in order to do this. More information can be found in the find a home section of the website.
Yes, the aim is to provide you with a home for life and your independence.
