North Yorkshire County Council is holding a series of consultation meetings this month on a new care strategy which would lead to Extra Care housing in every major town in North Yorkshire.
The strategy, called “Care and Support Where I Live”, represents a turning point for the council’s Extra Care programme. It sets out a future where Extra Care would become a vehicle for delivering accommodation as well as community care and support for a wider range of people.
7 October: Harrogate library, Victoria Avenue, Harrogate HG1 1EG 1pm – 6pm
By 2020 nearly a quarter of North Yorkshire’s residents will be over 65 and the number of people predicted to have dementia will have increased by more than 20 per cent.
The plan is part of a new, transformational strategy for North Yorkshire’s Health and Adult Services to meet future needs based on what people in North Yorkshire have told us – that older people wish to live independent lives in their own homes and want more choice and control over their support so they can remain part of their local communities for longer.
The aim therefore is that by 2020 there would be more than 50 Extra Care housing schemes across the county to meet the needs of people living with dementia and the changing aspirations of the wider population.
The proposals set out in the consultation envisage that over time Extra Care would replace the county council’s remaining elderly persons’ homes, and would also offer a range of other solutions to other vulnerable people; such as Supported Living for younger people with a learning disability and specialist extra care housing for people living with dementia. The aim is to work with a wide range of partners to deliver value for money.
County Councillor Clare Wood, North Yorkshire’s Executive Member for Health and Adult Services said: Extra Care, so far, has provided an innovative and flexible model of partnership working to meet the care and social needs of older and vulnerable people, placing them at the very heart of their communities where they want to belong.
We are proposing therefore that Extra Care schemes should play a pivotal role in the council’s ambition to support North Yorkshire’s communities to be active, thriving and stronger.
The consultation meetings are designed to help the county council gather the views of North Yorkshire residents on these transformation proposals which are based on the principle that people should be able to get care and support where they live and when they need it and to deliver value for money.
Extra Care currently enables people aged 55 or over or other vulnerable adults to live in their own homes, but with care and support according to need seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Extra Care provides a range of supported apartments and enables couples to stay together and have their families to stay and for people to keep their pets. Extra Care also provides communal facilities such as a lounge, restaurant, hair and beauty room, guest suite and assisted bathing room.
Extra Care is provided through a partnership between the county council, housing developers, housing associations and district and borough councils. In future however, the county council proposes to work additionally with other partners, such as the NHS, Clinical Commissioning Groups and voluntary organisations, to develop Extra Care housing as community hubs.
In coming years therefore Extra Care housing schemes could also incorporate a GP surgery, library, respite care, a short break service and specialist accommodation for people living with dementia and people with other complex needs.
The consultation on the “Care and Support Where I Live” strategy is being carried out over a 12 week period from August to November. The consultation will inform the final strategy which will be decided by the council’s Executive early in 2015.
The strategy can be found here: http://www.northyorks.gov.uk/media/29056/Care-and-support-where-I-live-strategy/pdf/14_07_17_Appendix_1_Care_and_Support_Where_I_Live_Strategy_(2).pdf
Consultation meetings:
8 October: Skipton library, High Street, Skipton BD23 1JX 1pm – 6pm
13 October: Richmond library, Queen’s Road, Richmond DL10 4AE 1pm – 6pm
16 October: Scarborough library, Vernon Road, Scarborough YO11 2NN 1pm – 6pm
17 October: Malton library, St. Michael Street, Malton YO17 7LJ 1pm – 6pm
20 October: Selby library, 52 Micklegate, Selby YO8 4EQ 1pm – 6pm
29 October: Northallerton library, 1 Thirsk Road, Northallerton DL6 1PT 1pm – 6pm
