The idea came about after we took over Brent council’s housing stock in north-west London, in October 2000. One sheltered housing scheme in particular was very run-down and no longer met the standards it needed to. Basically, it needed to be rebuilt.
So we consulted the tenants and asked for their input on how the homes should be designed and the sorts of things they’d like to include. Through their tenants’ committee, they were able to consult with architects and choose whether they would like showers, baths and CCTV in their homes.
It was very important to get tenants’ input because we were trying to create a good atmosphere and move away from the old-homes stereotype of pastel shades and high-back chairs.
Our tenants certainly shunned those things; they chose bright colours for the walls of the communal area, candles and modern lighting. It’s a very uplifting look and it enables them to feel that this is their home – it moves away from the idea of an institutionalised setting.
It also addresses the problem of isolation – older people can stay in their rooms a lot because they simply don’t want to sit in a communal area that looks and feels dull. And when they have relatives over to visit they are quite happy for them to sit in the lounge now because it is welcoming.
The consultation has been a great success and we are now doing the same thing in some of our other schemes.
Source
Housing Today
Postscript
Judy Peaker, director of Wembley-based Willow Housing, spoke to Mahua Chatterjee