Opinion: why a new approach to support services doesn't have to be a catastrophe

Despite all the recent negative publicity given to the demise of resident wardens, ERoSH is of the view that the situation is not as catastrophic as has been implied.

Many residents are pleased with changes that have been made to their support services, including a move away from resident wardens, particularly when they have been fully involved in the process. The recent Help the Aged report, "Nobody's Listening", noted a link between satisfied tenants and good communication and engagement by landlords or support providers. We promote better understanding of the reasons for the withdrawal of resident wardens, meaningful engagement with residents, better use of assistive technology (eg. to address access problems and routine checking) and a strategic approach to sheltered housing allocations.

Support services need to move away from routine five times weekly visiting. This model of service delivery can sometimes be institutionalising and wasteful of public funds as the service is provided irrespective of whether the tenant wants or needs it. Support should be tailor made and based on individually assessed need.

We favour hub and spoke models of support, in which suitable sheltered housing/extra care schemes are used as a base for the delivery of support and other services to people who need them, including tenants in sheltered schemes and those in close proximity to the hub. ERoSH is not in favour of large scale floating support models as they fail to capitalise on the potential of sheltered housing schemes as a hub and resource to the wider community.

We welcome the Ministerial working group on sheltered housing and hope the outcomes will include better funding, use, recognition and management of sheltered housing.

Opinion article by ERoSH's Director of Policy, Imogen Parry, as published in Inside Housing 13-03-09