Sheltered Housing

What is Sheltered Housing?

A sheltered housing tenancy is the same as an ordinary Council tenancy. The difference is that there is an emergency alarm system installed in each property and a Supported Housing Officer is available to give assistance.

What do Supported Housing Officers do?

Supported Housing Officers are responsible for enabling every tenant to live as independently as possible. When on duty Supported Housing Officers provide help if required and answer any emergency calls which may arise.
Where a scheme has a communal room, Supported Housing Officers encourage and work with tenants to organise events and activities.

Supported Housing Officers need to be available for all tenants in sheltered housing. This means that they are unable to carry out certain tasks, such as cleaning, cooking or shopping. Neither are they able to perform nursing duties such as giving injections, or drugs or changing dressings. However if a tenant has this type of problem, Supported Housing Officers can act as intermediaries with organisations such as Social Services or Health to alert them to the fact a tenant needs their assistance.

If a tenant needs a particular service, such as a regular visit from a home carer or community nurse, the Supported Housing Officer will try to ensure that the service is provided.

Yare Care

When a Supported Housing Officer is away from their scheme, emergencies are dealt with by the Yare Care control centre. Pull cords are located around the property and a pendant is provided. These can be used to contact the staff at the control centre in an emergency, who will if necessary send another neighbouring Supported Housing Officer. This service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The staff are always friendly and helpful, and are used to dealing with all kinds of problems.For more information about how Yare Care can support you in your own home please follow this link to the Yare Care Page

Who can move into sheltered housing?

Sheltered housing caters for a whole range of older people and you do not necessarily have to have a health problem or disability to move into sheltered housing. If you are not sure whether sheltered housing is appropriate for you, please contact the Council's Homeselect section for further information or advice. Both the Council and Housing Associations in the borough also provide other accommodation suitable for older people, but without Supported Housing Officer support.

How to apply

If you are a council tenant you will need to contact your Estate Manager. If you are living in your own home or in privately rented accommodation you should contact the Homeselect office.

Sheltered Schemes in the Borough