Brentwood Council is urging people to consider sheltered accomodation and to visit an open day to find out more. 

Having a friend round for a coffee, a surprise visit from your son or daughter because they need your advice or your grandchild popping in to set you up on Facebook – these are everyday things that you would still be able to do if you lived in a sheltered housing scheme.

Your flat is your space and you keep your independence but help is there if you ever need it.

Loneliness is not a problem with sheltered housing as you have the benefit of being surrounded by people with the choice of going along to social activities or events but of course you can shut your own front door and finish that book or watch the television if you want to be on your own.

Many of our schemes also have communal gardens for you to enjoy when the sun is out.

Brentwood Borough Council currently has a number of different sheltered housing schemes situated throughout the Borough at various locations.

To find out if sheltered housing would suit you, please come along to our open day on Wednesday 4 February at Juniper Court supported housing scheme in Beech Avenue, Brentwood, between 10am and 3pm.

Sheltered housing is designed to offer a safe and secure environment for older people.

Properties within a sheltered housing scheme are all connected to an alarm system, responded to by a Scheme Manager.

The Scheme Manager also offers the added reassurance of contacting you daily or as and when you feel you require this service.

You maintain your independence and you have the same rights and responsibilities as our other Council tenants.

There are various levels of service you can choose and this will be agreed with you around the time of accepting your tenancy.

The service level can be reviewed as and when your circumstances change by speaking to your Scheme Manager.

Your privacy and independence will be respected and we will only enter your flat with your permission or if we have good reason to be concerned about your welfare.

Brentwood Borough Council’s Chair of the Housing and Health Committee, Councillor Ross Carter, said: “Times have changed and families are more spread out now than in the past.

"This often means that as you get older, there is a role reversal where your family worry more about you and who would be there if you needed help.

"Sheltered housing can be a compromise where you keep your independence and live in your own place and your family have the reassurance that help is just a button away”.

For further information about the open day or sheltered housing please call Trudy Frost or Angela Williams on 01277 312500.