Housing for older people

In developing housing for older people, the Department encourages Associations to consider the following key design principles and aims:

Quality of Later Life - Housing that is conceptualized, designed, and managed to support older people’s independence, happiness, comfort, conviviality, security and safety;
Health and Well-being - Design that promotes active living and supports the physical and mental health of people as they grow older;
Connections & Relationships - Design that helps residents be part of a connected, vibrant and sustainable community; encourages integration and social interaction; and helps avoid a sense of loneliness, segregation or social isolation;
Physical Space & Design - Optimum floor space that takes account of aspects such as: future aids and adaptations; care and support for residents at home; future or occasional wheelchair use; furniture and storage; lifestyle and flexibility (e.g. a ‘loose-fit, long life’ approach);
Universal/ Inclusive Design - A universal or inclusive approach to design, which takes account of a variety of age-related health impairments (e.g. frailty, dexterity, cognitive function, hearing or sight);
Flexible & Adaptable - Flexible and adaptable design to help future-proof for successive tenants and to support ageing in place; allowing people to remain living independently for as long as possible;
Positive Ageing - Design that reflects a positive model of ageing;
Aspirational - A design approach that is aspirational rather than institutional, and which promotes smaller, more homely and welcoming domestic scale environments.

The basis of any design of housing for older people should normally be a universal solution that can be easily adapted to suit a wide range of users now and over the life of the property.

The Department has produced a set of draft revised standards for CAT1/CAT2 which are aimed at enhancing the design of housing for older people. The draft standards are included in Annex ‘B1’.

Compliance with the Department’s draft revised standards is not mandatory at this time, however Associations and their consultants should take cognisance of the draft design standards (and/or the 10 HAPPI recommendations) and should seek to apply these where possible in their schemes. No additional grant for achieving some or all of the draft standards will be available unless, exceptionally, it has been agreed with DPG/DfC at an early stage that a scheme is to be treated as a pilot. Further details are included in the introduction to the draft standards.

Categories of accommodation for older people

There are four categories of accommodation for older people including:

Category 1 - self-contained accommodation for more active older people, which may include an element of scheme supervisor support and/or additional communal facilities
Category 2 - scheme supervisor supported self-contained accommodation for less active older people, which includes the full range of communal facilities
Category 3 – supported extra care accommodation for frail older people. Includes the full range of communal facilities, plus additional special features, including wheelchair user environments and supportive management
Category 4 - scheme supervisor supported shared accommodation for less active older people with full range of communal facilities

Housing mix for self-contained accommodation for older people

In schemes specifically designed for older people DPG will accept a housing mix for self-contained Category 1 and Category 2 accommodation within the following parameters:

Category 1 (bungalows and flats): subject to no more than 25% of all flats or bungalows being 2-person/2-bedroom units, Category 1 units may be provided as:

1-person/1-bedroom bungalow or flat (35-40 sq m floor area band)
2-person/1-bedroom bungalow or flat (50-55 sq m floor area band)
2-person/2-bedroom bungalow or flat (55-60 sq m floor area band) and/or
3-person/2-bedroom bungalow or flat (60-65) sq m floor area band)

Note: 3-person/2-bedroom bungalow or flat provision will not attract the supplementary multiplier for common room and or associated communal facilities.

Category 2 Flats (and Category 1 flats where a resident or non-resident warden is linked directly to the scheme): subject to no more than 25% of all flats being 2-person/2-bedroom units, Category 2 units may be provided as:

1-person/1-bedroom bungalow or flat (35-40 sq m floor area band)
2-person/1-bedroom bungalow or flat (50-55 sq m floor area band) and/or
2-person/2-bedroom bungalow or flat (55-60 sq m floor area band)

Note: This housing mix would also include small (Category 2) type schemes where a block of up to 15 flats may be provided to full Category 2 requirements including common room and associated communal facilities, but with the exception that a resident scheme supervisor need not be provided. However, a part-time resident or non-resident supervisor must be linked directly to the scheme.

Note: the scheme being linked to a central emergency alarm facility would not satisfy the requirement for a ‘part-time, non-resident scheme supervisor’.

Associations should proceed on the basis of the above parameters. Where an Association wishes to modify the above criteria a detailed case must be made to the NIHE DPG at the earliest possible opportunity.

Category 3 (bungalows or flats): where a self-contained model is chosen to accommodate this client group then subject to no more than 25% of all flats or bungalows being 2 Person/2 bedroom units, Category 3 units may be provided as:

1 Person/1 Bedroom bungalow or flat (40-45 sq m area band)
2 Person/1 bedroom bungalow or flat (55-60 sq m area band)
2 Person/2 bedroom bungalow or flat (60-65 sq m area band)

All units should be designed to full wheelchair standards.