It is good to see BD’s concern to increase both the quantity and quality of housing for older people but your question for Roger Battersby and David Birkbeck (Debate May 31) perpetuates a misleading assumption that care homes are the mainstay of what is needed.

elderly pensioners

In planning terms age restrictions usually start at 55, and there are currently 18 million people in this bracket of whom only 2.5% are in residential care homes. In 10 years we will reach a point where more than half of these people will still be at work.

What is vital now is to develop new forms of housing for those over 55, suiting their needs both while working and into old age.

Richard Morton
via bdonline

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