Our new report from the Ageing Better in Camden Outreach Service explores how to engage residents and build community within sheltered housing.
Over the last three years the Ageing Better in Camden (ABC) Outreach Service has worked extensively within sheltered housing as part of its remit to proactively find, meet and engage with Camden residents aged 60+. This approach has enabled us to reach older people not known to, or reluctant to engage with formal social activities, services and support.
Through our interactions with residents and by listening to their experiences, we have learnt that despite living in the same physical location with people of a similar age, in the absence of an active and shared community, sheltered housing residents experience high levels of social isolation and loneliness.
To successfully meet, engage and bring together residents, particularly those who are less likely to attend organised social events such as coffee mornings (e.g. older men), the outreach team developed a three-step approach.
Find out more about the three-step approach in our new report.