Sheltered Housing

Mission Statement

"Our mission is to provide good quality housing, care and support services in safe, thriving neighbourhoods where older people choose to live. We aim to anticipate and respect the lifestyle choices of older people by providing services they value that promote independence and empowerment"

 

Contents

 

Retirement Living in Sheltered Housing

North Hertfordshire Homes (NHH) is one of the largest Registered Social Landlords in Hertfordshire, providing around 8,500 homes including around 600 units of sheltered accommodation for older people.

Sheltered Housing is specifically for people aged 55 years and over. It gives residents the opportunity to live somewhere with their own front door and maintain their independence, whilst having the use of communal facilities and the assurance that help is at hand when needed.

Each sheltered housing resident is offered a visit by a Community Support Worker who provides a floating support service to a number of older people living in the scheme and also out in the local community. It is important to note that residents still need the support and care of their relatives and friends.

Residents are free to come and go and invite friends to visit, just as they would if they lived elsewhere.

 All our schemes offer unique facilities. Click here to see our scheme locations and see a brief summary of the amenities available. 

 

Community Support Workers

Each scheme is visited by a small team of Community Support Workers. They are experienced, professional people who can provide support to you and act as a co-ordinator for the assessment and provision of other care and support services.

The Community Support Workers work Monday to Friday and will aim to visit the scheme at least once per day. When a Community Support Worker is not on site you can call for emergency help via the pull cord/pendant system which will be responded to by Careline. The Community Support Worker has responsibility for the scheme and grounds. Their role is varied and some of the key tasks include:

  • meeting prospective tenants to discuss their needs and how to achieve the best outcomes from the community support service
  • assessment of your support needs, highlighting and supporting the co-ordination of other support services
  • responding to emergencies whilst on site
  • management of the building, including responsibility for monitoring
  • health and safety, fire safety, security and repairs
  • management of the scheme office, including maintaining all records and equipment
  • promotion of the scheme and development of community links.

Shortly after you have moved in a Community Support Worker will contact you to make an appointment to complete a support and management plan with you. A support and management plan is a document that records any support needs that you may have and details the most appropriate way the sheltered housing service can be delivered to you. The Community Support Worker will explain this in detail when you meet.

 

Community Support Workers will:

  • welcome and introduce new residents to the sheltered housing scheme and provide information about the facilities and services that are available locally
  • maintain regular contact with all residents by way of intercom call, personal visit or telephone call. The type of contact will be discussed and agreed and then recorded in an individual support and management plan
  • assist residents to access services such as Community Meals or Home Care
  • respond to emergencies when on site, call for the necessary assistance and notify your named contact if applicable. This can be a relative or friend.encourage community links with residents living in the scheme and older people in the local community
  • keep you informed and consult you on issues relevant to your scheme.

Community Support Workers are not able to: 

  • administer drugs or medication of any kind 
  • clean, cook or shop for residents (except in the event of an emergency until other agencies or relatives can take over)
  • nurse, bathe or assist to bathe tenants
  • lift any tenant should they have a fall, they will summon assistance from the ambulance service
  • arrange removals, connections or disconnections of gas, electric or telephone services (these tasks are the responsibility of the tenant or their representative).

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Safety and security

Good security helps everyone.

All staff carry their own identification card with a photograph when they visit your home. If anyone calls claiming to be a representative of NHH, always ask to see their identification. If in doubt do not let them in and immediately contact the Head Office or the police.

 Alarm system

  • An emergency alarm system is provided in each home and in communal areas giving two-way speech communication.
  • Pulling the alarm cord will automatically alert the Community Support Worker (if they are on site) or Careline (the response centre at all other times). Should it be set off by accident, the Community Support Worker or Careline operator will check that all is well and then reset the system.
  • The system is used to summon help in an emergency at any time of the day or night.
  • Careline is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If the alarm is activated, Careline will respond by answering the call and take the appropriate action.
  • Information about your medical history, relatives, GP etc is held by the Community Support Worker and Careline. This helps us to assist you in an emergency.

Pull cords and pendants

Pull cords must not be removed or tied up as they may be needed in the event of an emergency.

All pull cords and pendants are tested on a regular basis. Our procedures require pendants to be tested by the Community Support Worker every month.

Not everyone needs a pendant, but these can be made available if you become frail or after a prolonged stay in hospital. They can be worn around the neck or on the wrist for easy accessibility.

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Access to your flat

We will respect your privacy at all times. The Community Support Worker has access to a master key to all the flats in the building, but he or she will only enter your home:

  • by invitation
  • with your permission if you are away and we need to access your home – for example to carry out repairs
  • in an emergency.

Please do not fit extra locks to your front door as this may make it difficult to get help to you in an emergency.

What happens at the weekends?

We do not visit or call you at the weekend or on Bank Holidays. If you need assistance you should pull the emergency alarm cord or use your pendant to contact Careline.

In the event of anyone pulling the emergency alarm cord or activating the pendant and a response being required, Careline will alert the named contacts, necessary emergency service or the security company.

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Registration and eligibility requirements

 In order to be considered suitable for Sheltered Housing applicants must:

  • be 55 years of age and over
  • have the ability to manage a tenancy with minimal support 
  • be able to live independently in Sheltered Housing accommodation.

Applicants must complete and return a Common Housing Register Form, Medical Assessment Form and Sheltered Housing Self Assessment Form to register for a North Hertfordshire Homes property.

The allocation of vacant properties is made by Choice Based Lettings (CBL). Following registration prospective tenants will be given a personal application number and will identify a suitable vacant property and be required to express an interest (bid). The three prospective tenants with the highest points who have expressed an interest will be invited to view the accommodation; this visit will be conducted with NHH staff. The applicant with the highest points will be offered the property on a conditional basis.

Needs and Risk Assessment

The person in receipt of the conditional offer will make an appointment with NHH staffto arrange for a Needs and Risk Assessment to be carried out, subject to the outcome of the Needs and Risk Assessment a final, permanent offer will be made.

The Needs and Risk Assessment will cover areas such as;

  • ability to live independently with minimum support
  • health and mental health issues
  • mobility and individually specified accommodation requirements
  • concerns relating to the misuse of alcohol or other substances
  • finance and rent arrears issues

 Refusals and appeals

If the applicant has a support need which exceeds services offered then the application will be refused.

A written reason for refusal will be sent to the applicant, this will signpost the applicant to a more suitable housing or service provider.

The letter will notify the applicant that there is an Appeals Procedure and if the applicant wishes to appeal they will contact the Head Office and the appeals process will follow on from there.

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Useful information for friends and relatives

How can I contact the Community Support Worker?

Community Support Workers work from 8.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Thursday and 8.30am to 4pm on Friday. Each team of Community Support Workers has an office contact number and an answer phone. The numbers are printed in the Welcome Pack which is given to all new sheltered housing residents Alternatively, if more urgent contact is required a message can be left with the Supported Housing Team at Rowan House and a Community Support Worker will be asked to call you back.

What should I do if I am worried about my friend or relative?

If you are trying to contact a sheltered housing tenant and are concerned about their welfare, Careline staff can help by contacting  the Community Support Worker or putting a call through to the property to check if all is well. If necessary the Scheme Manager will attend and investigate. Contact details for Careline can be found below.

Useful contacts

Careline
01462 420600
Contact can also be made by pressing the pendant or pulling any of the emergency alarm cords in individual flats or communal areas.

Health & Community Services (Hertfordshire County Council)
0300 123 4042
www.hertsdirect.org/hcs

Citizens Advice Bureau
08456 88 98 97 (North Herts & District)
www.adviceguide.org.uk
Call or visit the online advice guide for FREE impartial and confidential guidance and money advice.

Text Relay
0800 7311 888
Textphone: 18001 0800 7311 888
www.textrelay.org
Text Relay connects deaf, hard of hearing and speech impaired people using a textphone with people using a telephone or another textphone.

Quality Assurance

North Hertfordshire Homes sheltered housing service is regulated and monitored by Hertfordshire County Council. In keeping with our aim to provide a good quality service we welcome any comments and will take all complaints seriously. For details of how to feedback comments see the inside back page. 

Equal Opportunities

North Hertfordshire Homes are committed to the principle of Equal Opportunities both as employers and as providers of housing. This is reflected in our policies and procedures and is backed up by extensive monitoring. In addition we gratefully acknowledge the support and feedback provided by various community groups and stakeholders in the area.

 

For more information

Supported Housing Team

Rowan House, Avenue One, Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire, SG6 2WW

Telephone: 01462 704110   Email: supported.housing@nhh.org.uk

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