The Associated Retirement Community Operators (ARCO), the main body representing the private and not-for-profit older people’s housing-with-care sector in the UK, has issued a statement on the Government’s response to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee inquiry into Housing for Older People.
Executive Director Michael Voges said:
“The Retirement Community sector holds the key to unlocking the Government’s ambitions for older people’s housing as outlined in this response.
It is very encouraging that the Ministry Housing Communities and Local Government have recognised the importance of extra care, the role that housing can play in improving health and social care provision and the appropriate role of event fees in funding such provision.
It is also right that consumers can only be served by clear and consistent use of terminology in relation to the different housing options for older people.
We look forward to working with the department to develop these proposals more fully and significantly improving housing and care options for older people.”
ENDS
Notes to Editor
Housing for older people: government response to the Select Committee report
The Government’s response to the second report of 2017-19 of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee inquiry into housing for older people has been published and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/housing-for-older-people-government-response-to-the-select-committee-report
For Further Information, please Contact
Gareth Lyon, Head of Policy and Communications, at garethlyon@arcouk.org or on 075350 88498
About ARCO
ARCO was founded in 2012 and currently has 29 members, consisting of both private and not-for-profit operators of Retirement Communities also sometimes referred to as retirement villages, housing-with-care, extra care housing, assisted living, close care apartments, or independent living apartments. Together they operate around 350 Retirement Communities, serving over 30,000 older people in the UK. There are also over 60 organisations affiliated to ARCO including ARCO Affiliate Network Subscribers, Premier Partners and members of the ARCO Accelerator Programme.
Retirement Communities are designed to support people as they age. They typically consist of individual one or two-bedroom self-contained apartments, located in a community or block of similar properties. Residents have access to a range of services and facilities. These will usually include on-site care provision for use as and when it is needed, 24-hour staffing, and dining and leisure facilities, and may also include facilities such as GP surgeries, gyms and craft rooms.
