Extra care housing

Extra care housing provides care for older people with various levels of care and support needs.

People living in extra care housing have their own self-contained home with bedroom, lounge, kitchen and bathroom (with level access shower).  They have their own front door and legal rights to occupy the property.

The benefits of extra care housing include:

  • Your own home and privacy.
  • Continuing to live independently.
  • Safe and secure environment.
  • Flexible care and support provided 24/7 on site to meet your needs.
  • Living in a community with communal facilities e.g. restaurant, exercise facilities, hairdresser etc.

Services available

Different models of extra care housing offer different packages of services, and can include:

  • Practical help and support - staff whose role includes offering information, guidance and day-to-day support to residents.
  • Domestic assistance - help with housework and shopping. Personal laundry services are sometimes available. In developments with a restaurant, home meals may be delivered.
  • Personal Care - assistance with dressing, feeding, washing and toileting, as well as advice, encouragement and emotional and psychological support. Many developments have care staff on site and in others on-site management staff will arrange or provide care when required. Chiropody and physiotherapy services are also common.
  • Nursing Care - tasks normally carried out or supervised by a qualified nurse, such as administering medication and dressing wounds. Few housing developments have their own nursing staff, though some are built alongside a nursing home. You can then get nursing care in your own home, or through daily visits to, or temporary stays in, the nursing home.
  • Emergency help - all developments have arrangements for summoning help in case of emergency. Pull cords are installed around the home, and residents can wear a pendant or wrist band with a call button. These basic user-triggered systems are referred to as carelines, social alarms or community alarms.

More information

You can get more detailed information and advice from the Elderly Accommodation Agency website.

Housing Care provide a wide range of free information and guidance for elderly people, their relatives and carers, as well as professionals working with them.

FirstStop brings together a wealth of expertise to help older people and their carers explore the options and choices open to them.

There is specialist housing for rent throughout Midlothian, with different levels of support, either through the Council or a Housing Association:

If you feel you need more support to continue living at home or are interested in sheltered housing or extra care housing please ask us at the Adults and Community Care team.