Review of Extra Care Services in Wokingham Borough
Download (PDF 1.02 MB)Summary of report content
Healthwatch Wokingham Borough were interested in how living in Extra Care schemes enabled people to have a good quality of life, improved independence and decreased isolation and loneliness. They interviewed residents and staff in the Borough’s 3 existing Extra Care Schemes and created this report.
They decided to explore extra care as:
• There is not much information available about the quality and safety of these types of services
• With a rapidly ageing population in Wokingham and the resulting demographic pressures, such as conditions like dementia, demand for these services are increasing
• Wokingham Borough Council is planning to expand extra care provision with 2 new facilities due to open late 2017
• There is an opportunity to better understand the views and the extent to which people are satisfied with living in extra care housing.
• Discussions with members of the Optalis team helped bring to life the issues and complexities around Extra Care.
The report contains six main recommendations covering:
•Design
•Managing expectations
•Tension between independent living and coordinated support
•Diversifying activities
•Transport links
•Care: Task focussed vs. person focused.