Supported living and Zetetick Housing | Why does it matter?

Zetetick Housing specialises in providing quality housing for supported living.

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This means that Zetetick Housing source and provide housing for disabled people or people with autism or learning difficulties, giving them a space that feels like home, whilst still being able to access the level of support they require from care providers.

Essentially, this what ‘supported living’ is; appropriate housing suited to the disabled person’s needs, and support tailored to these needs provided separately by a care provider. Supported living has many benefits for disabled people, who are at the heart of our work at Zetetick Housing. Here are just a few reasons why we believe that supported living matters.

Independence

Residential care homes can have very regimented schedules which mean that people don’t get to choose how to spend their own time. For disabled people in care, this can restrict their social lives and have a negative impact on their quality of life. This is compounded by the fact that care homes are often isolated from the rest of the community, which can lead to many people with disabilities or special needs feeling lonely, especially if they have been placed in residential care far away from their families.

Supported living provides people with the opportunity to have all of the freedom that comes with living in your own home, plus the support that they require to help them live independently. Being able to live in their own homes within the community, in a location and property type that suits them, empowers disabled people to go out and take part in community activities where they can meet new people.

Choice

Because housing for disabled people is in high demand and low supply, residents often have little choice over factors such as the location, property type and the level of support provided. This is especially difficult if the housing and support come from the same provider, as it usually means that they cannot be separated; it can therefore be very difficult and stressful to make changes to either because it would mean changing both at once.

Zetetick Housing abides by the best practice model of supported living, which means that housing and support are provided by separate organisations. This means that changes can be made much more easily to suit the tenant’s needs. Plus, Zetetick Housing draws upon the private rental market to source properties for our tenants, which gives tenants with a broad range of options in the types of housing that can be provided for them.

If you are an estate agent or landlord and you’re interested in working with us, don’t hesitate to get in contact.

Dignity

There have been several scandals in recent years where care home residents have been mistreated by staff. Even when they are not being mistreated, it is often the case that people with disabilities and special needs are manhandled or locked up for behaviour perceived as challenging.

In addition, the ‘one size fits all’ approach to support that is often found in care homes means that disabled people may not receive the kind of support most suited to their needs. This can be seen in the story of one of our residents, Stephen, who was placed in a care home for people with Alzheimer’s.

Zetetick Housing’s model of supported living aims to deliver dignity to people with special needs and disabilities by helping them to gain the independence that they deserve as adults by providing them with quality housing, with access to the support that they want.

Find out more about the difference supported living with Zetetick Housing has made to Stephen’s life here.

Help us

Help us to spread the word about who Zetetick Housing are and we do, and the benefits of supported living, so that we can empower choice and deliver dignity to even more people.