Extra Care Apartments or Supported Living Setting

These are usually flats, sometimes bungalows, link or terrace houses which have been developed or adapted to provide 24 hour care cover “on site”. With an extra care scheme you combine the privacy and independence of your own house with the security and confidence of knowing that care support is close at hand on call if you need it any time day or night. Many of the schemes also have some or all of a range of additional services and facilities: restaurant; bar; snack bar; spa pool; gym; communal lounges which afford the opportunity for as much or as little social interaction as you wish.

You occupy the apartment as owner of the leasehold if you buy it or tenant if you rent it. Some apartments are only available for sale – some only for rent: on other developments both tenures are available: see (Care Search : Extra Care)

The care is purchased separately and you buy what you need as you need it, if and when you need it.

Retirement Living

This category describes a very wide range of buildings which have been built to a variety of standards over the past 40 years. The only thing they share is that they are intended for occupation by people aged 55 or over. They range from old style sheltered housing schemes, through blocks of flats with nothing special except their age restriction to some very specialist schemes.

Maureen Hill lives in an extra care flat. Click to read her story.

If anybody was worried about whether they like this sort of flat they’d only have to look at mine and they’d have to like it. My flat has everything anybody would want: it’s very spacious, with a kitchen, bathroom and a little garden. It’s absolutely lovely.In some ways this is just like a block of flats in the middle of a big city. But the difference is that here you meet other people, even when you’re just waiting for the lift. There’s also a restaurant, a craft room where they have painting classes and a day-centre, where I go a lot because I’m a volunteer.

I know the old fashioned thing is to say “I want to be independent”, but here you are: no one bothers you. But you know that support is there if you want it. You’ve only got to press the button and they’ll come, day or night. There is always someone there and the staff are lovely and that does put your mind at rest. My daughters’ minds too; they know that if I was poorly, someone would ring and send for them. that’s worth a lot. This is a wonderful place.