Geoff Adams-Spink BBC News website age & disability correspondent

Residents get more support than people in sheltered housing

New research urges the government to provide more money to fund specialist housing for people with dementia.

A report by a housing association, a university, a dementia charity and the Housing Corporation says more needs to be spent on "extra care housing".

Extra care housing is similar to sheltered housing but offers residents more support with daily living.

The report says it is vital for the health of people with dementia.

Called Opening Doors to Independence, the report is the result of a three year study into older people with dementia who live in extra care housing.

It was a joint endeavour by Housing 21, the University of the West of England (UWE) in Bristol, the Housing Corporation and charity, Dementia Voice.

The authors warn that the government's agenda to give older people increased choice and independence could be jeopardised without better resources and more co-operation between providers of housing, health and social care.

Meeting needs

"This is the first long-term research which looks specifically into the role of extra care housing for people with dementia," said Sarah Vallelly of Housing 21.

"It gives a springboard for radically rethinking what is currently offered to older people with dementia who are unable to remain in their own homes."

Extra care housing - sometimes referred to as "very sheltered" housing - offers round the clock, on-site care delivered to people in their own homes, usually in a complex of flats.

Residents often benefit from additional amenities

It has been developed to meet the needs of older people who are unable to continue living independently but who wish to remain in a community setting rather than moving into a residential or nursing home.

Extra care housing complexes tend to have extra facilities such as restaurants and shops.

The report also found that:

• People with dementia and memory problems are able to live in extra care housing for almost as long as people without cognitive problems
• Those with dementia - and their families - chose extra care housing because it meets their needs better than other available options
• Friends and relatives are more likely to maintain an informal support network if their relative is in extra care housing as opposed to hospital or a residential home
• There is an urgent need to replicate good extra care schemes around the country but this is being hampered by a lack of resources and poor coordination

"Meeting the needs of the most vulnerable older people is of critical importance," said Matt Leach, policy and communications director at the Housing Corporation.

"This is why over the last two years we have invested over �93m in new extra care housing schemes."

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said: "Extra care housing schemes provide a range of care options which can help prevent avoidable admission to hospital or to help people return from hospital to their own home more quickly."

"We know that many older people living in care homes would like to be supported to live in extra care housing schemes or at home.

"We want to give people genuine choice about how they're cared for, which is why we have allocated �380m for extra care housing for 2004-8."