The Gateshead Housing Standard for Ageing Well

The Gateshead Standard for Ageing Well has been developed with local people over the age of 55 in Gateshead across a range of tenure types, including homeowners and social or private renters. Council colleagues, housing providers and third sector organisations have also been involved.

It is important that the standard is grounded in what is important to local people about where they live in later life, as such the following approach was taken.

It has involved reviewing and analysing evidence from existing engagement work with people in later life conducted by Gateshead Council's Customer Service and Engagement team. This team seeks to ensure that local citizens have an opportunity to work with Gateshead Council to improve and co-design services.

In-person focus groups and discussions with approximately 60 people over the age of 55 during October 2023, including with:

• Gateshead 50+ social group
• Dunston companions' group
• Gateshead Muslim society

A sample of Gateshead council residents living in:

• sheltered housing
• general needs housing

We engaged with local stakeholders including:

• housing providers
• third sector organisations such as the Gateshead Older People's Assembly and Age UK
• relevant council colleagues from housing, commissioning, regeneration and adult social care teams

Drawing on the key themes that arose from the qualitative engagement we developed an online survey to further explore what about our homes enables us to age well. The survey received 700 survey responses which have helped to shape this standard.

We then went back to research participants to ensure the standard had captured what is important to people. This involved publishing a draft version of the standard and accompanying survey as well as presenting the standard to a sample of the community groups we met with initially.

We have reviewed relevant existing national standards and guidance as well as local strategies so that the standard reflects national and local best practice.

We have used local and national case studies of a range of housing types that are suited to the needs of people in later life to demonstrate our aspirations.

We have brought together the evidence from the qualitative engagement with local people and relevant existing standards and guidance to create a standard that is intended to influence the design of new building homes and adaptations to existing homes that will support older people to age well in their homes.