Glossary Archive

To use this glossary, either browse the defintions using the A-Z listing, or enter keywords below to locate specific items.

Abbeyfield Houses

Abbeyfield Houses have a house manager and typically provide two cooked meals a day and support for 6 to 12 older people

Advice & information services

Services that help older people with issues related to their home, finding accommodation, care services or related finance.

Advocate

An advocate will act independently on your behalf and represent your views and interests.

Developments that cater exclusively for older people, usually incorporate design features helpful to older people, and may have communal facilities such as a residents’ lounge, guest suite and shared garden, but do not provide any regular on-site support to residents.

Almshouses

Almshouses are independent local charitable trusts that provide affordable housing for older people in need

ARCO

The Associated Retirement Community Operators (ARCO) is the main body representing the Retirement Community sector in the UK.

ARHM

Association of Retirement Housing Managers

Assisted living

A form of ‘housing with care’ designed for older people

Assistive technology

Assistive technology – Telecare: Alarm and monitoring devices to support vulnerable people at home

Attendance Allowance

A disability benefit paid by the Department for Work & Pensions, tax free and non means tested

Care home

A residential setting where a number of older people live, usually in single rooms, and have access to on-site care services.

Care Home Specialisms

All care homes across the UK must inform their regulatory body what type of care they are able to provide. The conditions that care homes are able to care for are varied but some of the most common are: dementia care, physical disabilities, nursing and mental disability.

Care Period

As well as long-term care permanent placements some care homes will offer different lengths of stay depending on your care needs. Temporary care, also known as respite care, can provide carers with a short break from their usual care responsibilities. Intermediate care can often be arranged following a stay in hospital. Day visits/Day care services are provided by some care homes.

Care plan

A written statement that sets out what care and support services you will receive.

Care Quality Commission

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspects and registers care homes in England.

Carer

Typically an unpaid family member or friend who provides care and/or support.

Centre for Housing and Support

Provide training for professionals working in housing-related support services

Choice based lettings

A scheme allowing applicants to bid for council and housing association tenancies.

Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)

CCGs are clinically-led statutory NHS bodies responsible for the planning and commissioning of health care services for their local area.

Close care housing

Close Care schemes are a relatively new concept and consist of independent flats or bungalows built on the same site as a care home. Residents often have some services (such as cleaning) included in their service charge and other services can be purchased from the care home.

Cohousing

Housing estates or flat blocks where residents jointly manage their community and share activities

Community Alarm

Also called carelines or emergency alarms, they enable you to call for help if you fall, are taken ill or suspect an intruder.

Council Tax Reduction

Council Tax Reduction and Housing Benefit are administered by local authorities and are means tested

Court of Protection

The Court of Protection make decisions on financial or welfare matters for people who can’t make decisions at the time they need to be made (they ‘lack mental capacity’).

Day Centre

A local service offering a range of services such as; meals, social activities and transport.

Direct Payments

A payment from a local authority to help you independently arrange and pay for your care

Disability Living Allowance

A non means-tested disability benefit for people of working age. Existing claimants are gradually been transferred to Personal Independent Payments.

Disabled Facilities Grant

A grant to help you increase accessibility and independence at home.

Domiciliary Care

The provision of care in your own home

Enduring Power of Attorney

Enduring Power of Attorney is the legal ability to manage someone’s financial affairs on their behalf.

Enhanced Sheltered Housing

Provides residents with the independence of having their own front door whilst also having access to additional on-site support services. Most developments will have a scheme manager and an alarm system in the property, there may also be some personal care and home help services that can be arranged by the management.

Equity release

Can be used to access some of the assets tied up in your home, whilst still allowing you to live there

Erosh

The national consortium for older people’s housing and support (formerly known as ‘Emerging Role of Sheltered Housing’ and ‘Essential Role of Sheltered Housing’)

Extra care housing

Extra Care Housing is housing designed to provide the varying levels of care and support people may need in later life. People who live in Extra Care Housing have their own self-contained homes, their own front doors and a legal right to occupy the property. Extra Care Housing is also often called ‘assisted living’.

Fairer Charging

Fairer Charging Assessment by Social Services for care and housing support services

Freehold

The majority of properties that are purchased in the UK will be freehold, however in retirement housing it is very uncommon as most properties are bought on a leasehold basis. The freeholder of a property owns it outright, including the land it’s built on and as such they are responsible for maintaining your property and land.

Ground Rent

A charge that leaseholders are often required pay to the freeholder.

Home care

Personal care provided in an individual’s home.

Home care agency

Providers of care and support in an individual’s home

Home Improvement Agency

Also called Staying Put Agency or Care & Repair – These agencies can help with repairs, improvements and adaptations

Home services

Services to help older people live independently at home

Homes and Communities Agency (HCA)

The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) helps to create successful communities by making more homes and business premises available to the residents and businesses who need them. They also regulate social housing providers in England.

Homeshare

In Homeshare, someone who needs a small amount of help to live independently in their own home is matched with someone who has a housing need and can provide support or companionship.

HOOP

HOOP is a self-help tool that helps older people think about where they live and find solutions to any housing-related problems they may have.

Hospice care

Hospices strive to offer freedom from pain, dignity, peace and calm at the end of life.

Housing Association

Independent not-for-profit organisation that provide affordable homes

Housing Awards

EAC National Housing for Older People Awards

Housing Benefit

Provides financial help towards rent and some service charges for tenants

Housing LIN

The leading national network for promoting innovative new ideas in enhancing the housing choices for older people and supporting change in the delivery of housing and related care and support services.

Housing Options

Term sometimes used to reflect a positive approach to making decision about how and where to live

Housing with support

A term used by EAC to include both sheltered and retirement housing, whether for renting or owner-occupation.

Independent Financial Adviser

A professional who offers independent advice on financial matters to their clients and recommend suitable financial products from the whole of the market

Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA)

A local council or NHS body has a duty to involve an IMCA when a vulnerable person who lacks mental capacity needs to make certain decisions

Intermediate Care

A range of rehabilitative services designed to reduce the length of a hospital stay or avoid the need for admission

Lasting Power of Attorney

Lasting Power of Attorney is the legal ability to make financial or health-related decisions on another person’s behalf.

Leasehold

A form of home ownership that often applies to retirement properties. The purchaser of the lease (the “leaseholder”) has a legal right to live in the property and treat it as their home. On new property the period is often between 100 and 125 years but can be as high as 999, leases can be extended back to their full term for a fee.

Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE)

LEASE provides free advice on the law affecting residential leasehold in England and Wales.

Leasehold Schemes for the Elderly

Leasehold schemes for the Elderly (LSE) involve buying a proportion of the property

Licence

An agreement giving the right to occupy accommodation. Licenses are used by many Almshouse charities and some Abbeyfield Societies. Licenses provide less security than a tenancy agreement.

Life Interest Plan

Life Interest Plans offer the opportunity to purchase the right to occupy a retirement property for life

Memberships

Trade bodies that housing providers can choose to become members of on a voluntary basis. These organisations generally have a code of practice that their members must follow and any breach of this code can be challenged by the trade body.

Mixed tenure

A housing scheme that offers a choice of tenures

Needs Assessment

An assessment of your care and support needs, commonly referred to as a ‘needs assessment’ is often done by a social worker and is available to anybody who feels that they may benefit from some assistance.

Nursing Care

Care services carried out or supervised by a qualified nurse

Nursing home

A home registered for nursing will provide personal care (help with washing, dressing and giving medication), and will also have a qualified nurse on duty twenty-four hours a day to carry out nursing tasks.

Office of the Public Guardian

The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) protects people in England and Wales who may not have the mental capacity to make certain decisions for themselves, such as about their health and finance.

Park Homes

Residential mobile homes, some resembling bungalows and some closer to traditional caravans.

Pension Credit

Pension credit is a means tested benefit towards a guaranteed level of income for older people

Pension Service

Part of the Department of Work and Pensionsset up to improve the service you receive.

Personal Care

Personal care includes assistance with dressing, feeding, washing and toileting, as well as advice and psychological support

Personal Health Budget

Personal health budgets are being introduced by the NHS to help people manage their care in a way that suits them.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

PIP is a working age disability benefit which is replacing Disability Living Allowance (DLA).

Power of Attorney

Power of Attorney is someone who has the legal ability to make decisions on someone’s financial or health-related affairs on their behalf

Private (Market) Rent

Also known as ‘private rents’ these are generally provided by commercial landlords. Private market rents tend to be higher than social rents but, if it is within your budget, it can be one of the quickest ways to find accommodation.

Quality of Information Mark

The QI Mark is awarded to individual schemes following submission of a fully completed QI Mark questionnaire, and is valid for 24 months.

Registered social landlord

Not-for-profit housing providers approved and regulated by Government through the Housing Corporation

Resident Consultation Service

An EAC tool to help housing providers consult their residents on what they think of their sheltered/retirement housing scheme

Residential care home

A residential setting where older people live and receive personal care

Residents Association

Organised group or residents in a sheltered or retirement housing scheme

Respite care

Short term care, usually in a care home

Retirement housing

Housing developments built for sale and which offer a support service to residents.

Retirement village

A large group of retirement or sheltered housing dwellings

Scheme manager

Person responsible for managing a sheltered or retirement housing scheme

Service and support charges

They cover the cost of services such as maintenance and upkeep of communal areas and equipments

Shared ownership

Shared ownership properties are usually offered for sale by housing associations. You buy a share of a property, and pay rent to the housing association for the remainder.

Sheltered housing

This means having your own flat or bungalow in a block, or on a small estate, where all the other residents are older people (usually over 55). With a few exceptions, all developments provide independent, self-contained homes with their own front doors.

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Find housing

Find Home Services

Find A Care/nursing home

Guides & Advice

About housing care/EAC

HousingCare

A service provided by EAC

Finding a new home

Find your retirement home

Find your care home

Services to help you live safely and well at home

Find your retirement services

Guidance & Advice

EAC HousingCare services to providers

Abbeyfield Houses

Advice & information services

Advocate

Age-exclusive housing

Almshouses

ARCO

ARHM

Assisted living

Assistive technology

Attendance Allowance

Care home

Care Home Specialisms

Care Period

Care plan

Care Quality Commission

Carer

Centre for Housing and Support

Choice based lettings

Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)

Close care housing

Cohousing

Community Alarm

Council Tax Reduction

Court of Protection

Day Centre

Direct Payments

Disability Living Allowance

Disabled Facilities Grant

Domiciliary Care

Enduring Power of Attorney

Enhanced Sheltered Housing

Equity release

Erosh

Extra care housing

Fairer Charging

Freehold

Ground Rent

Home care

Home care agency

Home Improvement Agency

Home services

Homes and Communities Agency (HCA)

Homeshare

HOOP

Hospice care

Housing Association

Housing Awards

Housing Benefit

Housing LIN

Housing Options

Housing with support

Independent Financial Adviser

Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA)

Intermediate Care

Lasting Power of Attorney

Leasehold

Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE)

Leasehold Schemes for the Elderly

Licence

Life Interest Plan

Memberships

Mixed tenure

Needs Assessment

Nursing Care

Nursing home

Office of the Public Guardian

Park Homes

Pension Credit

Pension Service

Personal Care

Personal Health Budget

Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

Power of Attorney