In recent years, the profile of a range of housing and care issues has arisen. This is also the case with older people’s housing and care, where links between good housing and health, independence, dignity and well-being cannot be emphasised enough.

To examine the future of older people's housing and care, a number of national older people's housing stakeholders joined forces to launch the 20/20 Project. These included the Association of Social Alarms Providers, Centre for Sheltered Housing Studies, Emerging Role of Sheltered Housing (ERoSH) - the national consortium for sheltered and retirement housing, National Housing Federation, Association of Retirement Housing Managers, Chartered Institute of Housing, Counsel and Care, Elderly Accommodation Counsel and Federation of Black Housing Organisations.

The 20/20 Project aims to work through a vision for older people's housing and care by the year 2020, when the number of older people will start to peak as a proportion of the general population. It will do this through a number of activities throughout 2005, including conferences and seminars, research and receiving the views of a range of individuals and organisations involved in this area.

Responding to the consultation process, the BGS has issued the following statement.

The BGS believes that in broad terms housing should be suitable for people with a variety of needs in anticipation of changed circumstances. This should minimise the need for rehousing or relocation if functional abilities change. This will include as standard:

• walk in showers
• adjustable height work surfaces and equipment
• accessible local facilities including shops, pharmacy, health and social care facilities
• cable television and internet access
• economical heating and cooling systems with energy conservation schemes
• secure entry systems
• easy to use waste disposal facilities

The BGS supports the development of extra-care housing schemes as an alternative to traditional residential care or sheltered housing, to allow support to be increased (or reduced) as needs change, without relocation. It is important to ensure support staff receive appropriate training in health related issues including dementia, Parkinson's disease, stroke, continence promotion, arthritis and in ethical issues of respect and autonomy.