Alertacall is proud to be the headline sponsor of the CIH Older People’s Housing Virtual Conference

Alertacall is delighted to announce that it is the headline sponsor for the ‘Older People’s Housing Virtual Conference’ hosted by the Chartered Institute of Housing (‘CIH’) in partnership with Erosh. The series of digital events held over five dates from 1 December 2020 will explore some of the key issues faced by social housing providers in meeting the housing needs of an ageing population.

By the mid-2030s, there will be over 16 million older people, nearly 3 million of them over 85 living in the UK. The range of needs, circumstances and expectations of the individuals that fall within this population group is broad and complex. For housing providers responsible for older people’s accommodation, it raises questions on how to provide affordable housing which is both accessible and adaptable, as well as how to enable individuals to maintain their independence while ensuring they feel valued and connected within their community.

Additionally, the COVID-19 outbreak has changed home life and working practices for everyone. Housing teams, often required to work remotely themselves, are now on the front line of delivering services to those most at risk, many of them over 65.

The virtual conference features some fantastic speakers who will provide insights on some of the most pressing strategic and operational issues the sector is facing – from contemplating the future of housing and care for older people through to keeping older people safe from the harms of domestic abuse and violence. A keynote address will be given by Dame Esther Rantzen DBE who is also the patron of Erosh. You can book your place to attend and see the full event programme on the CIH website. Those registering are able to attend all 5 online events which run until mid-March 2021.

Alertacall will be also be presenting at the event taking place on Wednesday 17 March 2021 (10:00 to 11:30am). The session is entitled: Tackling social isolation and loneliness for older people.

Loneliness is a deeply personal experience. The number of over-50s experiencing loneliness is set to reach two million by 2025/6. COVID-19 has only exacerbated mental health and wellbeing issues, particularly in older people who are more likely to have experienced increased loss and isolation during this time.

Putting people at the heart of innovation: combining people and technology to reduce loneliness for a better housing service.

Martin Cutbil, Director, Alertacall

• Utilising technology and improving digital access can play a vital role in helping older people feel better connected while also enabling them to maintain their independence. However, that same technology, if not applied correctly, can also make the issue worse.
• This session looks at why tackling social isolation is important for housing providers, what to be aware of when implementing technology for older people, and why human interaction should be at the heart of all solutions.

Case study: United Welsh’s Living Well Team and Housing Proactive – winners in the ‘New Ideas and Approaches’ category at 2019 CIH Welsh Housing Awards.

Andrew Burns, Team Leader, United Welsh

• United Welsh won the award for ‘New Ideas and Approaches’ in partnership with Alertacall at the 2019 CIH Welsh Housing Awards. Their Living Well team implemented the Housing Proactive system into their older persons’ schemes which has created a range of benefits for both residents and staff. Residents are provided with devices which all have Alertacall’s unique OKEachDay button and the system uses digitally enhanced daily contact to give tenants greater independence, help reduce loneliness and offers greater property management insights.

‘Communicating across the generations’ – working with your community to tackle social isolation with older residents – Silver Stories

Co-creator, Elisabeth Carney-Haworth OBE

• Silver Stories was created by husband and wife team, Elisabeth Carney-Haworth OBE, and David Carney-Haworth OBE. They created Silver Stories in 2015 in response to their knowledge about the loneliness that can be felt by older people in the community and often their separation from the younger generation. The charity works with the local community to enrol children (known as Silver Readers) who telephone a Silver Listener and then read a short story or poem to them. The charity not only helps the children to become more confident in their reading skills but also links children to older people in the community and helps diminish their chances of feeling isolated.

For more information and to book your place at the event, click here.

For more information on how any of the digitally enhanced daily contact services from Alertacall and how they could benefit your organisation, contact our team on contact@alertacall.com or call 0808 208 1234.