Is a care home, extra care or supported living right for you?
Housing is often a matter of personal choice with individuals having different needs. If it's difficult to manage living at home, there are ways you can get help. There are lots of possibilities to explore here and many places you can get advice and more information from.
West Berkshire Council want to support people to stay well, safe and independent in their own homes. However, there may come a point when staying at home is no longer the best option. For some people, supported housing or extra care housing can be good choices that can help them stay as independent as possible. Alternatively, West Berkshire Council’s ‘Shared Lives’ scheme may be suitable helping you to live independently in the community whilst being supported by a shared lives carer. Helpful information can be found on their webpage.
If you need a little more support to cope at home supported living accommodation may be the best option for you. This means living as a home owner or as a tenant. Some supported living homes or flats are shared by 2 or more people with particular disabilities or needs, like people with mental health problems or learning disabilities. In a supported living service you will have your individual support and care plan that will specify how you will be helped to live independently. Properties are suitably adapted, you will have your own bedroom but sometimes you may share a kitchen and bathroom.
Why choose supported living?
Supported living is designed to help disabled people, who are eligible, to live independently in their local community. Support is focused on helping you to increase and/or maintain your independent living skills at their maximum level. Supported Living is appropriate for you if you want or need to live on your own or to share with others. You have to share the responsibilities with housemates like cooking, cleaning and paying the bills. In supported living accommodation the housing provider and support provider are separate.
To give you an idea of the types of property that become available, look at the attached 'DOWNLOADS' document called 'Photographs of typical properties which become available from Sovereign Housing'.
What do I do if I am interested and want to know more?
If you would like to see if supported living is right for you, West Berkshire Council’s Adult Locality teams will need to carry out an assessment of your needs to see if you are eligible. Contact Adult Social Care on 01635 503050 or use our online Adult Social Care Enquiry form to request information and advice for yourself, or on behalf of someone else.
Mental Health Supported Accommodation
For West Berkshire residents suffering Severe & Enduring Mental Health issues Sovereign Housing and Richmond Fellowship offer supported living accommodation.
VACANCIES - View the list of current vacancies from the downloads tab.
Is home ownership for you?
HOLD - Home ownership for people with long-term disabilities. If you have a long-term disability, the HOLD scheme in England could help you buy any home for sale on a shared ownership basis (part-rent/part-buy). You could buy a share of your home (between 25% and 75% of the home’s value) and pay rent on the remaining share.
Older people's shared ownership. It works in the same way as the general Shared Ownership scheme, but you can only buy up to 75% of your home. Once you own 75% you won’t have to pay rent on the remaining share.
Housing Options for Older People (HOOP)
People struggle to make the right housing choices in later life. HOOP is an online tool which will help you identify the most important difficulties and offers suggestions for dealing with them. You can also speak with an advisor.