Getting Through the Maze An Evaluation of Housing Advice Services for Older People - HACT

The need for good quality information and advice has always been of concern to practitioners working with older people, but recent social changes and policy changes have brought housing advice into sharp focus. Key trends include the growth in the older elderly population, the expansion of owner-occupation in later life and the development of 'care in the community' policies aimed at supporting people in the community, in their own homes. This report, based on five case studies of advice services, aims to: identify how the individual case studies advice services were developed; assess what methods have been used to ensure older people are aware of the service on offer and to consider the parameters to providing housing advice and other advice services; consider both the skills and information needed and what partnerships have been developed to offer a broad-ranging service; look at how services are funded and what the prerequisites are for developing a quality service; find out how the work of the housing advice service might have an influence on local housing policies. Getting through the maze is aimed at all those working to improve housing and housing advice services for older people.