Have your say on extra care housing on the Island
Published: 23 May 2023
If you are aged 50 and over, we’d like to hear your views about extra care housing as we review our Independent Living Strategy.
Extra care housing is typically defined as accommodation that is age and/or disability-friendly in design and decor and features the availability of care and support around the clock.
The facilities at extra care schemes generally include:
- Fully self-contained properties where occupants have their own front doors; these might be rented or bought.
- Within the properties there may be a call-button alarm service and other systems designed to assist the people who live there.
- Safety and security are built into the design with fob or person-controlled entry.
- A range of communal or shared facilities are available enabling group or community social activities.
- Most schemes also have a restaurant or dining room where people may choose to have their meals.
- Access to onsite care and support services 24 hours a day.
Properties in extra care housing schemes can be bought outright, bought as shared ownership or rented.
Councillor Ian Stephens, Cabinet member for adult services and housing, said: “In the past few years we’ve made some great strides to support people to live independently for longer.
"Having a range of options available locally to support our older residents to live in a way that suits them, is key to enabling greater choice for people.
"The extra care facilities on the Island at Ryde Village and Green Meadows in Freshwater have been really popular and created a more flexible solution for people to enjoy life with the support they need.
“As we review and develop the Independent Living Strategy, we want to capture the views of local people for these types of developments, and I’d encourage anyone over the age of 50 to complete the survey.”
A Ryde Village tenant said: “I love Ryde Village. I have support from the homecare team each day to help me with my meals and medication.
"I also have the wellbeing team to check on me and have a chat with. I enjoy spending my time accessing the activities on offer, socialising with my friends I have made here, having the lunch service and other parties and events. I am going to live here forever.”
A Green Meadows tenant added: “Now I've got my own flat and I can join in with activities as much as I want. The support from Green Meadows has given me a new start and a brighter outlook on life.”
People aged 50 and over are encouraged to complete the online extra care housing survey.
Paper versions of the survey are also available from libraries or by request to asc@iow.gov.uk or (01983) 821000.
