Private model seems favoured way to care for the elderly

DEALING with Guernsey's ageing population is causing a fair few furrowed brows among policymakers. Last week we saw the response to Social Security's consultation on funding the pension pot - a not surprising 'no, we don't want to work longer' and 'no, we don't want to pay you more', leaving the department with a tough message to sell because, well, it has to do something.

Health and Social Services and Housing are also hard at it investigating how the island cares for the elderly - and how it pays for that.

Not surprisingly in today's economic climate it is looking at private sector involvement in some form, with Housing 21, a UK-based housing association which already is involved in the Rosaire Avenue extra-care housing scheme, looming large in their minds.

This is the same scheme that has seen some teething problems which were highlighted in a National Audit Office report this month, something that might be expected with an operation that is the first of its kind for the island.

The departments are drafting a strategy for care and accommodation of older people that is expected to be up for debate before June.

Social Security and Treasury are also involved.

An extensive consultation with older islanders will also help shape the recommendations.

'The States want to enable older people to live independently for as long as they choose and to have more choices about where they live,' said a spokesman on behalf of both HSSD and Housing.

'This means looking at developing community-based services and housing forms which will enable older people to remain in their homes for longer and to have more choices about their care and housing.

'The strategy is also reviewing current funding streams with a view to identifying sustainable funding sources to meet the future needs of older islanders.'

In its comment to the largely positive NAO report on housing associations, the Housing Department said it, together with Health, was discussing entering into a more wide-ranging strategic partnership with Housing 21 - giving at least one indication of where the two departments are heading with funding.

'The States is committed to examining the role of private and not-for-profit sector finance in the funding of major capital projects and the development and delivery of services,' said the spokesman.

'Part of the funding considerations referred to above may include partnering with the private sector and not-for-profit sector organisations such as Housing 21 in implementing appropriate elements of the strategy.'

The NAO's comments on the Rosaire Avenue site that Housing 21 is involved with make for interesting reading.

It concludes that the construction went according to plan but it was too early to judge the overall success of the scheme.

But the rather well-worn maxim that 'lessons have been learnt' seems to apply here after some units went initially unlet, care hours paid for but not used and some contractual elements not given the final sign-off.

'Based on learning from the successful project at Rosaire Avenue, the two departments believe Housing 21 can play a significant role in the provision of housing, support and care services, in the same way as the Guernsey Housing Association has done in relation to meeting general social housing needs. Negotiations to this end are at an early stage.'

So could the States-run residential homes at Longue Rue and Maison Maritaine also see Housing 21 involved?

'Their future is being considered in the context of the future role of residential homes in general as this is one of the issues being examined in the strategy,' was the non-committal answer.