Housing and Ageing: Let’s Get Serious—“How Do You Plan for the Future while Addressing Immediate Chaos?”
Vikki McCall
Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Stirling, UK
Friederike Ziegler
Bradford Institute for Health Research, UK
Jane Robertson
Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Stirling, UK
Melanie Lovatt
Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Stirling, UK
Judith Phillips
Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Stirling, UK
Jeremy Porteus
Housing Learning and Improvement Network, UK
Zhan McIntyre
Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, UK
Alasdair Rutherford
Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Stirling, UK
Judith Sixsmith
School of Nursing and Health Sciences, University of Dundee, Scotland
Ryan Woolrych
School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society, Institute for Sustainable Building Design, Heriot-Watt University, Scotland
Jim Eadie
Age Scotland, Scotland
Jim Wallman
Stone, Paper, Scissors Ltd, UK
Melissa Epinoza
Institute for Social Policy, Housing, Equalities Research, School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society,
Heriot Watt University, Scotland
Emma Harrison
Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Stirling, UK
Tom Wallace
Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Stirling, UK
Abstract: This article presents findings from the Housing and Ageing programme conducted in 2018 that investigated how the housing sector can effectively plan for an ageing population. The project took a transdisciplinary approach to focus on new, critical insights into the process of decision making concerning housing and ageing across Scotland, England and Wales. A ‘Serious Game’ methodology was developed that explored over 200 policy maker, practitioner and service user perspectives. This was used as a framework to capture priorities, decisions, negotiations and processes that indicate how a ‘sense of place’ and ‘place belonging’ can influence the development of suitable housing for older people. Key housing provision challenges identified were tackling inequality, preserving autonomy, in(ter)dependence, empowerment and accessibility. Such challenges need consideration when strategically planning for the future. The findings recommend placing housing at the heart of service integration to support the co-production of decisions that emphasise the importance of working together across boundaries within social policy, service and stakeholder groups. A place-based approach can support the perception that we are all stakeholders in ageing.
Keywords: ageing policy; community; co-production; equalities; home; housing policy; housing practice; Serious Game methodology; service integration; strategic planning