Posted 09.09.14
Unsuitable housing is leaving thousands of older people facing unnecessary delays in being discharged from hospital, according to new analysis by Age UK.
Official figures show that patients who need home adaptations, such as grab rails or ramps fitted at home, are having to wait for an extra 27 days on average - more than 40,000 days in total - costing an estimated £11.2 million per year in delayed discharges.
In its new report 'Housing in Later Life', Age UK is calling on the Government to ensure that all new homes are built to the lifetime homes standard so they can be easily adapted as people age.
The Charity argues that housing design which complies with basic accessibility standards is a cost-effective way to help older people sustain their independence at home. Such design would allow older people to age safely and would reduce costly falls and accidents which are impacting on NHS resources. Falls and fractures in people aged 65 and over account for over 4 million hospital bed days each year in England alone.
Industry figures have shown the cost of adapting a standard new house design to make it into a lifetime home is approximately £1,500. For the cost of less than 6 delayed days in hospital, a new home could be brought up to a decent accessibility standard.
With the average cost of a hip fracture, often due to a fall in the home, standing at just over £12,300, and a year in residential care costing an average of £26,000, it's clear that getting housing right for older people could have immense benefits for the tax payer, as well as for those in later life.
In addition, simple adaptations to existing homes do not have to be hugely expensive. Age UK estimates that fitting a grab rail so an older person can get to the toilet safely costs between about £20 and £40 - and yet the benefits are often substantial.
The average grant available to adapt an existing house to allow an older person to remain at home is just over £6,800 - this is money which can fund essential alterations such as the widening of doors and installation of ramps or stairlifts, or the adaptation of heating or lighting controls to make them easier to use.
Age UK's report puts forward a raft of recommendations to the Government. For further reading click here.
