Sheltered Housing Services

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AIMS AND PURPOSE OF THE SERVICE

The aim of this service is:

  • To provide housing and support to people over the age of 55. There is no upper age limit for moving into this service.
  • To help older people stay in their homes for as long as possible, and for support to be provided to them to achieve this.
  • To provide permanent accommodation which is unfurnished.
  • A 24 hour link to a response centre for emergencies
  • A Scheme Manager to help tenants to manage and co-ordinate their housing and support needs
  • A communal building to provide space for social and educational activities for tenants, and for other older people in the local community.



What does support mean?

  • Before moving into Sheltered Housing the individual needs of the applicant are assessed.
  • The service tries to prevent social isolation and loneliness.
  • Tenants are helped to stay independent in a safe way.
  • Support will last for the length of the tenancy.
  • The aim is to provide an invigorating environment for tenants to develop new ideas and activities if they want to


Support may also include:

  • Ensuring tenants get the benefits they need
  • Helping with budgeting and debt management problems
  • Health advice
  • Helping tenants to find added counselling or support for particular problems
  • Dealing with Neighbour problems
  • Assistance with personal disputes with relatives, carers, and other support providers.
  • Helping tenants to live safely if they become confused or have failing memory.
  • Helping to find someone to talk to/befriend.
  • Helping tenants to manage arrears.
  • Liaising with authorities e.g. doctors, hospitals, social workers etc.
  • Welcoming older people from the local community to share in some of the scheme activities.
  • Providing information to tenants about services and activities in the local community
  • Regular contact with the tenant through a mixture of daily visits, contact by intercom and through contact within the communal areas of the scheme.


Where additional help with other languages is needed for communication, The National Interpreting Service can be used. In some cases the language skills and cultural knowledge of the Older Persons Support Worker can be used.

An application for Supporting People Subsidy will be made for all tenants, unless the tenant specifically states they do not wish for this to happen.

It is hoped that the tenant will be able to remain in their home for as long as they want to. Where a transfer is needed due to health or mobility reasons, need will be assessed through the Leeds Federated transfer procedure.

Property Standards

All property will be maintained to LFHA acceptable standards, and all flats have central heating. There is a mix of ground floor and first floor flats. Additional non standard small maintenance jobs are carried out for the tenants due to their age, e.g. changing of light bulbs, fitting toilet seats etc. Tenants would normally report repairs via the Scheme Manager.

Furniture

Furniture and white goods are provided in the Communal areas. Tenants provide furniture for their own accommodation. Cookers, hobs and fridges are provided to people who live in specially adapted wheelchair accommodation.

How do we check that we are ensuring a good quality service?

We want to ensure that service users have a significant voice in measuring the way that the service operates. We do this through:

  • Coming to some tenant meetings at each scheme
  • Making sure that tenants know how they can contact us
  • Listening to the complaints and compliments that people make
  • Dealing appropriately and sensitively with anti social behaviour
  • Making sure that repairs are done on time
  • Inviting people to help us make decisions through the Leeds Federated 50 Plus Forum and the Tenant Federation

Leeds Federated has 8 Sheltered Housing Schemes in Leeds. Scheme Managers provide support to tenants on each of the schemes.

Memorial Drive (Meanwood)
Cragside Close (Kirkstall)
Cleveleys Court (Holbeck)
Whincup Gardens (Hunslet)
Maltings Court (Beeston)
Fewston Court (Richmond Hill)
Ingle Court (Morley)
Oaktree Court (Gipton)

Leeds Fed also has a number of schemes across Leeds for Older People without a Scheme Manager, but with a 24 hour call response system. Contact us for more details.

How do people apply for Leeds Fed Sheltered Housing?

Applications for housing in sheltered schemes should be made to the Leeds Housing Register, which Leeds Federated are partners in. We advertise in the Leeds Homes flyer available from our reception, ALMO offices and community venues, and once registered you will be able to express your interest or 'bid' for properties advertised. If you are interested in a particular scheme then you can contact the Customer Services Team at Leeds Federated and your name will be added to a special interest list and you will be contacted directly when a suitable vacancy arises. More information can be obtained at www.leedshomes.org.uk Open days and other publicity events are also carried out to invite people to see what Sheltered Housing is like. Before being offered a property in Sheltered Housing, the Scheme Manager will visit the applicant. This is to ensure that the tenants support needs can be catered for on the scheme.