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Think ahead  - make your housing secure and helpful

THINK AHEAD AND GET YOUR HOUSING READY 

When people think about having children they review the housing that has served them well as single people and take action. The same approach is helpful in thinking about your future. A study, years ago, of people who had 'moved to the seaside' found it was often a disappointment, unless they were going to a place they had visited regularly over the years and had, therefore, good connections and a community to go to. It is better to stay in the community you know unless there is a very good reason to move, for example for a widower to move to live near a daughter they had always been very close to, but even then the perils of breaking long established tiesneed to be considered.

There are now and increasing number of new built lively, with the emphasis on lively, housing communities not just flats with a warden at the other end of an alarm bell.These new developments draw on the assets of the residents to create a lively community in which people are expected to contribute, and it is known that contributing in this way is a good means of reducing the risk of dementia 
Whether you move of =r stay put there are things you need to consider.about the dwelling itself. The Building Research Establishment which is the leading organisation thinking about and developing all aspects of the housing we take for granted has developed a ' dementia friendly house. here are the key features from their website. "The dementia-friendly converted terrace house includes:
  • Clear lines of sight and colour-coded paths through the home that help guide people towards each specific room
  • Increased natural lighting, which is proven to help people stay alert during the day and to sleep better at night
  • Automatically controlled natural ventilation to provide good indoor air quality
  • Noise reduction features, to reduce stress
  • Simple switches and heating controls, and safety sensors in high risk areas such as the kitchen
  • Homely, simple and familiar interior design to help promote rest and relaxation"
These are all very sensible suggestions for everyone, particularly the need for good indoor quality and this includes temperature . Fortunately there is more awareness of the risk of hypothermia but temperature regulation and reaction is impaired in almost every one and heat is as distressing as cold so investment in air conditioning in one bedroom is a sensible move if it can be afforded.

​It is also important to take action to reduce the risk of a fall , which increases for everyone from about 60 should consider ways they can make their home less likely to cause a trip. The NHS Choices guidance emphasises the need to increase the skills need to reduce the risk of tripping or failure to recover from a trip but also emphasises the importance of  
  • "removing clutter, trailing wires and frayed carpet 
  • using non-slip mats and rugs 
  • using high-wattage light bulbs in lamps and torches so you can see clearly"
​Remember too that a large amount of financial asset is tied up in any property you own and the opportunity for equity release should be discussed with a reputable adviser 
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