Practice implications

Care managers

Practitioners must consider the availability of extra care in their area and whether people are able to access it. If people are thinking about such a move, care managers should play a role in weighing up the pros and cons.

Specialist teams

What is provided in extra care housing and can specialist social workers support care staff working in this area, for example, through involvement in training?

Carers’ support workers

Extra care schemes can offer facilities for carers’ groups or social activities. They can also provide access to “hidden carers” who may like to learn of local support and information sources.

Commissioners

Proposed remodelling schemes should meet social well-being as well as care and accommodation needs.

Sheltered housing and other housing with support workers

Some lessons from extra care can be transferred to sheltered housing schemes, especially the importance of social well-being for all residents.

Policy makers involved in regeneration

Do the lessons from case studies of remodelling have relevance in how to handle building work and upheaval while running a service? What is the risk of working round existing service users compared to the risk of asking people to move temporarily?

Dementia teams

How can people with early dementia be best supported in extra care and how can teams work with staff and other tenants to provide a supportive community?

Community workers

Extra care housing schemes can be a base for lunch clubs, meetings and community events.