Phoenix Community Housing: policy

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POLICY

Services for Elderly and Disabled Residents and those with Other Support Needs

Decent Homes Improvement Programme

During the improvement programme, Phoenix will employ the services of its own Tenant Liaison Officers (TLO) for the duration of the works. TLOs will work very closely with older and disabled residents, and those with other support needs, their relatives and carers before any work is considered, while work is being planned, and during the period of works.

Phoenix would like to see all of its elderly and disabled tenants and those with other support needs benefiting from the repairs and improvement programme. However, it is aware that sometimes people do not want works carried out in their homes because of the disruption. To help these tenants overcome this Phoenix will:

ensure that assistance is provided to elderly and/or disabled tenants or those with other support needs who genuinely need help with packing or moving furniture/carpets etc. Phoenix would also consider helping with storage in exceptional circumstances.
provide show flats showing the works to be carried out and demonstrating the benefits.
Where possible provide an area where residents can go and relax or cook meals, while work is being carried out in their home (depending on the scale of the works).

Adaptations

Elderly and disabled residents may also require aids and adaptations to their homes. As part of the decent homes programme, Phoenix will:

Help facilitate access to timely assessment by an occupational therapist to identify suitable adaptations
Offer baths with handrails as a matter of course, where this is appropriate.
Offer a choice of shower or bath where bathrooms are being replaced wherever possible.
Install certain minor adaptations (such as hand rails, lever taps etc) as part of kitchen and bathroom replacements.

Where other aids and adaptations are needed, Phoenix will seek any funding available to the association, provide residents with information about the availability of funding directly to them, and encourage and support residents in making grant applications where appropriate.

Phoenix will set aside an annual budget to deal with the ongoing need for aids and adaptations in the future.

In the longer term, Phoenix will seek to follow good practice guidance recently published by the Housing Corporation and the College of Occupational Therapists, "Minor Adaptations without Delay". This recommends carrying out certain aids and adaptations (where applicable to the property) without referral to an occupational therapist, so drastically reducing waiting times for many elderly and disabled tenants. Phoenix staff will be trained to know when to involve an occupational therapist, and when this would not be necessary.

Internal Decorations

Phoenix will recognise that some tenants need support to comply with their obligations in respect of internal decorations. Phoenix will consider establishing a fund that can provide this support for tenants meeting specific criteria which may include: -

Being of pensionable age.
Being disabled and in receipt of housing benefit.
Being a single parent and in receipt of housing benefit.

And in all the above cases, is not living with an able-bodied adult aged between 18 and 65.

The scope and frequency of decoration would depend on the financial resources available in each year and subject to consultation with individual tenants. Tenants in rent arrears would not be included in the scheme.

Phoenix may review the qualifying criteria from time to time.

Further details of the internal decorations scheme are included in the "Repairs Policy"

Repairs and Handyperson Service

Phoenix will set up its own handyperson service to carry out minor repairs and adaptations to the homes of elderly, disabled or vulnerable residents, and will consider carrying out repairs that are normally the tenant's responsibility if the tenant is unable to do so (the cost would be re-charged to the tenant, however Phoenix would have a discretionary fund to cover costs in exceptional cases).

In individual circumstances, Phoenix will also consider reducing standard repairs response times or taking other special measures as necessary (e.g. providing an electric fire in cases of central heating breakdown if the tenant is elderly).

Liaison with Other Agencies

Phoenix will be an active member of the Lewisham Housing Association Group which aims to bring RSLs in Lewisham together to exchange information and good practice between local RSLs and the local authority. Through this group, Phoenix will be part of the Lewisham Local Strategic Partnership. Phoenix will also participate in Neighbourhood Management Panels, Bellingham Inter-Agency meetings, any Downham panels or groups and other forums that bring together service providers in the Phoenix area.

Move-on policy

Phoenix will assist the local authority in meeting their obligations to assist people in housing need who require permanent accommodation in order to move on from temporary supported housing.

Environmental Works

Phoenix will be further committed to ensuring that all environmental works on its estates take account of accessibility factors for all residents and that there are clearly defined boundaries between areas for cars and pedestrians. Through ongoing resident involvement in the planning process, Phoenix would ensure that where possible both the general needs of elderly and disabled residents and the specific needs of individual residents are taken into account.

Phoenix will ensure that grounds (including paths, paved areas, communal areas and green spaces) are periodically inspected and maintained to a high standard. Preventative maintenance will be carried out to eliminate potential hazards, and contractors will be monitored to ensure that safety procedures are adhered to, hazards are removed and work is completed satisfactorily.

Elderly and Disabled Resident Participation

Phoenix will create as many opportunities as possible for elderly or disabled residents to be involved in decision-making processes, in order that a better understanding between Phoenix and elderly or disabled residents is achieved and to facilitate a strong feeling of community. Phoenix will have dedicated tenant participation staff whose role would be to engage with all sections of the community including elderly and disabled people.

Phoenix will recognise that access to community halls and meeting places is a barrier that can prevent elderly and disabled people from becoming more involved. Where possible Phoenix will adapt and improve access to meeting rooms to enable maximum accessibility for people with disabilities.

As well as accessible offices and meeting places, Phoenix will seek other ways of helping elderly and disabled residents to get involved. This could include making arrangements for transport to and from meetings, arranging for agendas and minutes to be sent to people who can't attend and seeking feedback through other methods (such as tear-off slips, postal voting, comments by phone, post or internet, surveys, focus groups or through voluntary organisations working with elderly and disabled people).

Sheltered Housing and Designated Elderly Units

Although there is no sheltered housing in the area, there are a number of blocks designated for people over 55 years. Where there is continuing demand for this type of accommodation in an area, Phoenix will keep designated older people's homes strictly for that use and proactively investigate any instances of sub-letting and unauthorised occupants. Phoenix will work with residents in these homes to identify any particular needs arising in the immediate future and in the longer term.

Under-occupation scheme

Phoenix will operate an under-occupation scheme similar to that currently run by the Council. This will offer a personal transfer service to tenants under-occupying larger properties who are interested in moving to a smaller property.. In addition to removal and other expenses incurred through the move Phoenix will explore other ways to encourage more residents to use this transfer scheme. This may include the possibility of offering greater support or incentives..

This scheme would be particularly important for Phoenix as it would free up much needed larger accommodation for families experiencing over-crowding in the area.

Safety and Security

A number of tenants receive an emergency alarm service from Linkline which is charged for along with rent. Tenants on housing benefit have the Linkline charges paid for by Supporting People Grant. This would continue after any transfer.

As part of the refurbishment programme, Phoenix will install many new and improved security features within homes, communal areas of blocks and the wider surrounding areas. This will give residents greater security in their homes and added peace of mind.

Phoenix will seek to encourage the expansion of neighbourhood warden schemes with the flexibility to increase cover at times (such as evenings) when anti-social behaviour is more likely to occur. Phoenix will also work with other partners such as the Police's new "Safer Neighbourhood Teams", and the Lewisham Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership, to tackle crime and anti social behaviour.

Finances

Housing officers will be trained in debt counselling and in helping to ensure that elderly and disabled residents claim all the benefits they are entitled to.

Phoenix will work to tackle financial exclusion amongst its residents by offering debt counselling and access to an affordable contents insurance scheme. Phoenix will promote and support local credit unions and community development financial institutions to develop savings and loan schemes.

Equality and Diversity Implications

In carrying out its services, Phoenix is committed to:

Treating all customers and employee positively regardless of sexual orientation, gender, race, disability, religion or age
Taking seriously all complaints and investigating and responding accordingly
Using plain language and providing information in other languages, large print, audio and Braille formats on request.

Responsibility

The Director of Operations will be responsible for the effective implementation of this policy and for ensuring that all staff are aware of and appropriately trained in Phoenix's procedures relating to elderly and disabled residents and those with support needs.

The Director of Operations will also be responsible for ensuring effective links with Lewisham Council and other agencies at a strategic level to ensure that Phoenix can contribute to wider issues in relation to elderly and disabled residents and those with support needs.

Consultation

The Director of Operations will ensure that this policy continues to be developed and improved in accordance with the Phoenix's policies for continuous improvement, quality control and tenant involvement.

Review

Phoenix will monitor the effectiveness and implementation of this policy to ensure that it achieves its aims including delivering high quality services, listening to customers views and regularly consulting on and reviewing service standards and performance.

Phoenix will work closely with other social landlords in the area to benchmark the effectiveness of its service.

Performance

Phoenix will provide ‘high level' performance information in this service area for monitoring purposes by the Board or working parties which will include residents, officers and other stakeholders.

Phoenix will develop performance information at a more detailed level and present it as required.

Any review of this policy will take place in conjunction with Phoenix tenants and leaseholders and will ensure that it takes account of legislative changes and the development of best practice initiatives internally or externally so that improvements in performance can continue to be made.

Associated Documents
Equality and Diversity Policy
Customer Care Procedures
Tenant Participation and Consultation Policy
Anti-Social Behaviour Policy

Phoenix's Tenancy Agreement
Phoenix's Tenants Handbook

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Picture gallery

It's all happening on the Meadows 2nd June 2010
See lots more pictures of the Phoenix area in our Picture Gallery.