Sheltered housing is designed and built with the needs of older people in mind. Most of our sheltered housing schemes are made up of one-bedroom flats or bungalows, though we do have a few two-bedroom properties.
Sheltered Housing enables older people to live independently with security and peace of mind. It means that you can still have your own property and all the privacy that comes with it, and also have the security of a Sheltered Housing Officer in case you should need any help. It is really like living in a small village, where you live independently in a small, friendly community.
Each property has an alarm system that you can activate to speak to the Sheltered Housing Officer (or to Careline if the Sheltered Housing Officer is not on duty) if you need any help. The warden also makes a courtesy call to every tenant each morning.
The Sheltered Housing Officers in the complexes are there to give you support, but it is not meant to be intrusive.
All applicants and tenants who meet the criteria below will be eligible for sheltered accommodation, full or part service:
To apply for sheltered housing a person must be eligible to join the Housing Register. For more information please read Housing Allocations frequently asked questions.
Most sheltered schemes have communal halls where activities take place daily, so there is always an opportunity to socialise with people. Tenants are encouraged to form committees with assistance from the Sheltered Housing Officer.
Activities vary from one sheltered scheme to another and from day to day, but popular activities include Bingo; Art; Craft work; Coffee mornings; Luncheons; Quiz nights/afternoons; chair exercise classes; Social evenings; Card games and Darts. Most sheltered housing schemes also have mobile hairdressers, chiropodists and even opticians that visit at an arranged time to see to tenants needs.
Sheltered housing schemes differ in how activities are organised, what they are and how often they take place, for details on individual schemes, contact your local office, which can put you in contact with the warden concerned.
The Sheltered Housing Officer will:
The service charge for sheltered housing includes the cost of the Sheltered Housing Officer, the community alarm system and the communal hall on the site. It does not include any home care services, such as, assistance with shopping, taking medicine etc.
Costs for the service are:
These service charges are in addition to your weekly rent for the flat that you occupy.
There are over thirty sheltered housing schemes throughout most parts of the borough. Full details about these can be obtained from your Council Local Office.
The Council also provides a higher degree of care and support from two of its sheltered schemes. These are at Piggs Corner in Grays and Kynoch Court in Corringham.
Both of these schemes have been re-designed to higher specifications, for example all flats are wheel chair accessible and can be adapted to the particular needs of individual residents. Care-worker teams are on-site to provide personal care in accordance with agreed care plans for each resident.
01375 652652
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