Erosh is the national consortium for older people’s housing and support. We promote the benefits of good quality older people’s housing and support and the fantastic role sheltered housing plays in communities. We provide services and resources to help our members develop and maintain good practice and to cope with the changes and challenges facing our sector. Our membership is growing and includes a range of different housing providers including housing associations, local authorities and charities
Our networks give members the opportunity to be more actively involved at a local level, and we are looking to set one up for Scotland!
At our network meetings, groups come together regularly to share good practice, work together to resolve issues and to hear guest speakers from the sector. Non-members are welcome to come along to one meeting as a ‘taster’ before joining. They have proved very popular and invaluable in other parts of the UK, and we are keen to set a network up in Scotland during 2017.
Why setting up a network for Scotland is important to us:
By 2031 the number of people in Scotland aged 50+ is projected to rise by 28% and the number aged 75+ projected to increase by 75%. (Scottish Government, 2007). The number of people of pensionable age and over per 1,000 people of working age is expected to increase from 111 in 2015 to 397 in 2019 (National Records of Scotland, 2016).
Levels of need and demand for older people’s housing and support increasing at a time when budgets are being cut, impacting on the ability of providers to provide good quality preventative services; and changes to the funding framework for supporting people are being considered.
It is becoming all the more important for providers of housing and support for older people to:
- develop new ways of delivering services as well as continuing to improve existing services
- find cost effective ways developing and supporting front-line staff
- come together to learn from each other, discuss challenges and issues, and share good practice and solutions.
- to increase our evidence base to help make the case for sheltered and retirement housing
Providers of housing and support for older people need to work together to highlight the value of sheltered and retirement housing in:
- Saving money for the public purse
- Preventing hospital admissions, re-admissions and reducing length of stay
- Supporting other national and local objectives
- Improving health, well-being and quality of life; and providing peace of mind, security and safety, and independence
- Preventing loneliness and social isolation
- Supporting increasing numbers of people with dementia
- Serving whole communities of older people and building community capacity
- Freeing up much needed larger family accommodation
Being a member of erosh and a local erosh network group helps you to maintain & improve quality of your services, adhere to key standards, have input into consultations about future funding (find out what we have been doing in Wales), implement policy and good practice and be a vital part of our collective influence.
Erosh Membership gives you:
Good Practice Guides – invaluable, user-friendly good practice guides and checklists written by experts on a variety of topics including:
- Fire safety in sheltered housing
- Person centred support planning
- Adult safeguarding
- Dealing with hoarding
- Mobility vehicles
- Professional boundaries
- Intergenerational projects
- Sensitive Contractors
Case Studies – Practical case study examples, that demonstrate good practice, including Digital inclusion, sheltered schemes as community hubs, working with people with dementia and health and well-being projects.
Policy Briefings – Not sure how national policy developments and changes in legislation in older people’s housing and support could affect you or your organisation? Erosh regularly issues policy briefings to help members understand changes in policy and legislation.
Collective influence – erosh is committed to lobbying for good quality housing and support for older people and provides a collective voice to influence government policy.
Discounted Training – members receive a 20% discount on in-house training as well as on specially selected Sitra training courses to help develop staff cost effectively.
Specialist advice and guidance, news and commentary for both front line staff and service managers via a regular e-newsletter.
Discounted job vacancy advertising on the erosh website.
Find out more about erosh membership and join today or express an interest in joining our new network in Scotland!