Housing Care and Support

Ivy Shiue

2014 Housing Care and Support

doi: 10.1108/HCS-03-2014-0005

Purpose – Housing conditions affect occupants continuously, and health interventions have shown the positive association between housing investment and improvement in occupant health. Yet only rarely do we hear of the public's own perception of housing improvement internationally. The purpose of this paper is to explore public views on the importance of housing issues, from a worldwide perspective, in analysis of the global survey. Design/methodology/approach – Data were analyzed from the World Values Survey, 2005‐2007, the most recent public data sets including demographics, self‐rated health status, and beliefs on different social and political issues. Participants were those aged 15 and above. Analyses included χ 2 and logistic regression modeling. Findings – Less wealthy countries had the most people who considered housing improvement as top priority. Regions with more than 20,000 residents and lower scale of income levels were linked with higher proportions of people considering housing improvement as top priority. Additionally, people who reported very poor self‐rated health tended to view housing improvement as top priority, compared to those who reported very good self‐rated health. Practical implications – Public consensus is that there is an urgent need for housing improvement globally. Effective housing strategies and interventions optimizing population health, well‐being, and quality of life are suggested. Originality/value – To the author's knowledge, this is the first study investigating public opinion on the importance of housing issues using a global, cross‐sectional, population‐based study for international comparison. Understanding the need on housing improvement from the general public would indicate possible policy reform in the coming decades.

Anne Gray

2014 Housing Care and Support

doi: 10.1108/HCS-03-2014-0007

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to enquire how housing providers can facilitate a “social scene” which helps residents to bond together and which indirectly can generate both mutual aid and a collective voice. Design/methodology/approach – The study of 16 retirement housing schemes (including social rented, extra care and leasehold), involved focus groups engaging altogether 130 residents, interviews with estate managers and a postal survey with 120 respondents across eight estates. Findings – The findings highlight an important “community development” role for existing on‐site managers and the risk that a move to floating support means losing this function. They illustrate the obstacles faced by retirement housing residents in developing collective social activities or a participatory voice in management. This paper is one of several ongoing and planned outputs of the study covering different aspects of the findings. Research limitations/implications – The initial study reported here is largely based on residents’ views. A follow‐up survey of over 400 estate managers is now in progress. Social implications – The findings offer warnings about the potential and limitations of self‐managed housing for the older old, and the dangers of replacing on‐site staff by floating support. Originality/value – The research fills a gap in previous work on sheltered housing by focusing on the community rather than the individual resident. It will inform planning of housing support models to build and sustain social capital in elders’ housing schemes.

Deidre Wild; Ala Szczepura; Clive Bowman; Angela Kydd; Richard Wallis

2014 Housing Care and Support

doi: 10.1108/HCS-10-2013-0019

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to place the future development of technology within the existing reality of the diversity of care homes. Design/methodology/approach – Using the findings from a learning exercise, the paper illustrates “diversity” in terms of the meaning staff, relatives, and residents attach to the words “care home”. This tri‐partite approach provides a basis for exploring types of technology that could, if appropriately introduced, prove to be of benefit to the different users and staff. Findings – Technology is more likely to be “fit for purpose” when it has been developed jointly with those who work, live in, and who visit care homes. Costs and benefits will be issues to be taken into account. Research limitations/implications – A lack of research evidence on the role of technology in care homes was a key limitation. In future, research should adopt a co‐production approach to technology development. Practical implications – The authors take a pragmatic stance that if due care is taken in preparations for and the introduction of technology, this would increase uptake of technology to meet different needs. Social implications – The paper makes the points that: older people can learn new technological skills; the concept of care homes as user‐led is in accord with increased opportunity to engage residents in new technology. Technology in care homes while posing challenges also could prove to be a major lucrative market. Originality/value – By triangulating the perspectives of residents, relatives, and staff the authors hope to have presented a realistic and evidence‐based overview of the potential for technology advancement in care homes.

Suzanne Quinney; Leo Richardson

2014 Housing Care and Support

doi: 10.1108/HCS-03-2014-0003

Purpose – Appreciative Inquiry (AI) has its roots in the world of Organisational Development (OD), however, as a strength‐based approach which is intrinsically creative and generative, it has been found to work well in many other fields. The purpose of this paper, Part 1 of 2, is to provide an introduction to AI and suggests its potential in homeless work. Part 2 reports a pilot study of implementation and evaluation. Design/methodology/approach – This is a conceptual paper suggesting a new approach to the development of a Psychologically Informed Environment (PIE). The background of the approach (AI) is given, the pilot project described, and the way it contributes to a PIE is discussed. The beneficial and practical link with Positive Psychology is also explored. Part 2 will describe the outcomes of the implementation of AI in pilot at a homelessness hostel in Westminster. Findings – AI has its roots in the world of OD, however, it has been found to work well in many other fields. The paper highlights some of the aspects of AI and Positive Psychology which could be meaningful to hostel residents, and give it robustness and psychological sophistication when used by staff and residents. The paper also considers the benefits of using AI with staff as a tool for organisational learning, there by making it an ideal approach for hostels which want to become a PIE. Originality/value – AI is well‐established as an OD process and less well known as a personal development approach and has not previously been articulated as a tool for working with hostel residents or for developing PIEs. The openness of PIEs to alternative psychological approaches is indicated. AI is a strength‐based approach, and a well‐structured alternative to some of the problem‐based psychological approaches that have been used. In addition, AI supports defining features of a PIE such as reflective awareness.

Kelli J. McGee

2014 Housing Care and Support

doi: 10.1108/HCS-03-2014-0004

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to show how cultural sensitivity plays a role in international social services organizational development. The American author applied an analytic framework to a 20‐month change management project in a charity for the homeless in Ukraine; learnings may be useful to any leaders and managers working in a multicultural setting. Design/methodology/approach – Using one charity for the homeless as an example, the paper shows leadership and management tactics used to grow an international organization and manoeuvre cultural attributes to better understand and maximize the growth of both the staff and the population they served. Findings – Globalization means organizations face an increasing need for collaboration across cultures. It can also mean cultural gaps within nations exist, as individuals are raised or educated in more diverse settings. The analytic framework referenced can help leaders and mangers be more sensitive to the individuals they serve, including both employees and service users. Originality/value – This paper uses a first‐hand account to illustrate how recognizing and leveraging cultural attributes, informed by anthropological insights, can lead to better collaboration, increased creativity, and sustainable change.

Hans Oh; Sam Albertson

2014 Housing Care and Support

doi: 10.1108/HCS-03-2014-0006

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the objectives and overall approach of a faith‐based homeless outreach campaign. It aims to stimulate wider discussion about how civil society can play a role in achieving participatory parity for the homeless. Design/methodology/approach – Using a case study approach, this viewpoint paper then connects practical considerations to extant literature on community inclusion. Findings – This particular homeless outreach campaign generated a tremendous amount of volunteerism – perhaps unparalleled relative to any other recent campaign driven by civil society. Yet it aimed only to funnel the homeless into the private social sector. Furthermore, most of the homeless people engaged on the streets did not complete the rehabilitation programs. Research limitations/implications – Campaigns such as this may need to adopt discursive habits in order to recognize the social distances that must be bridged between the housed and the homeless. With greater reflexivity, volunteers can use their interactions with the homeless to develop empathy, compassion, and understanding. Volunteers may then feel inspired to leverage their personal resources to address community perceptions of homelessness, or to advocate for systematic changes. Originality/value – This paper suggests recasting the goals of homeless campaigns to include the development of social bridges between the housed and the homeless, which can guide advocacy efforts.