Adding Life to Years: New Ideas and Attitudes to Housing for Older People

The potential benefits and opportunities to society of an older population have been largely ignored to date. As populations around the world get older, a transition to a positive, active view of ageing is crucial. This consultation suggests ways in which this can be achieved.

The potential benefits and opportunities to society of an older population have been largely ignored to date. This report provides a summary of the discussions at a Consultation held at St Georges House in Windsor Castle to identify how to the housing needs of older people can be met so as to add life to years and encourage independence, participation, choice and self-fulfilment.

Thirty people with a wide range of expertise and experience were brought together for two days and developed an Agenda for Action that dealt with the following issues:

• How to deny the stereotypes of ageing and older people.
• How to facilitate the participation and involvement of older people in the design and management of their accommodation.
• How to establish closer links and involvement with the local communities in which they live.

This report includes information on the United Nations International Year of Older Persons. It also sets out in detail how to achieve the recommendations included in the Agenda for Action.