COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, July 12, 2021
QUESTION NO. 12
QUESTION: Councillor Eoin Ó Broin
To ask the Chief Executive how the SDCC Right Sized Housing programme is aligned with the recently launched Government Age Friendly Homes initiative ( https://agefriendlyhomes.ie/ )?
REPLY:
The new www.agefriendlyhomes.ie website provides resources, guidance and information on housing for our ageing population. It contains an array of information to support the development of age friendly housing, such as case studies, research, funding information and design templates. This website was developed by Age Friendly Ireland, The Housing Agency and Age Friendly Ireland, the Department of Health and Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide a one stop shop for all resources to support age friendly housing. The website was recently launched alongside a suite of resources compiled by Age Friendly Ireland including features to include in a lifetime adaptable and age friendly home including how to make it more accessible and a checklist to use in your own home along with research on older people’s perceptions and experiences of going through a rightsizing process to future proof their home along with an information booklet for older people to explain their options regarding future proofing their homes, ranging from adapting the home, homeshare or moving to more suitable accommodation. These resources complement work locally in South Dublin to provide appropriate housing options to meet the needs of our ageing population as an objective under the Council’s recently adopted County Age Friendly Strategy 2020-2024. We recognise the need to be fully aware of the needs of older people and best practice in the location, design, management and supports in our older persons’ housing developments, allowing older people to live in mixed demographic communities interacting with others of different ages. As part of the implementation of the strategy, the Council committed to: delivering a range of older persons housing developments across the County utilising the expertise of our Age Friendly Housing Technical Specialist along with best practice in design, location and supports to best meet the needs of older person rightsizing owners and tenants, and housing applicants. We also participated in a rightsizing research study with Age Friendly Ireland and updating our Rightsizing policy through the Housing SPC to maximise the potential to provide accommodation for older people in integrated, demographically mixed settings.
Our planned and prospective supply of age friendly housing is strategically designed to be age appropriate to support independent living for longer as well as being within easy reach transport, healthcare, retail, and other key services and supports for older persons within existing communities. These principles are intrinsic to both the age friendly homes programme and the Policy for Rightsizing and Allocation of Age Friendly Accommodation adopted by the Council in December 2020. Rightsizing recognises that the needs of the older persons are diverse and that few older people reside in a property that supports ageing in place. It will provide the opportunity for better quality of life for older persons by offering them the access to homes that will meet their evolving needs their needs now and into the future. The Council participated with Age Friendly Ireland in the Research on Rightsizing for Housing Options for Our Ageing Population study referenced above to address a knowledge gap on the perceptions and attitudes of older people to right-sizing. Following a process of consultation and using case studies, key recommendations of the research included: promotion of a greater awareness of rightsizing options; providing rightsizing incentives including support towards relocation costs, having dedicated support staff in this area as well as facilitating rightsizing moves between local authorities. In addition to this research, the Council has undertaken an occupancy study of our social housing tenancies and stock that has highlighted the significant potential for rightsizing amongst our tenants. This data along with proximity to services for older persons is being used to inform potential future locations for additional age friendly housing including the currently proposed age friendly housing developments at Pearse Brothers Park, St. Aonghus’ Estate and St. Ronan’s Estate. Successful operation of our rightsizing policy would have the potential dual benefit of providing age-appropriate accommodation to current tenants in underoccupancy and also for older persons in private accommodation through the Community List (financial contribution) provision in our Rightsizing Policy.