14 Dec The importance of community
One-third of adults aged 45 and older feel lonely, and nearly one-fourth of adults aged 65 and older are considered to be socially isolated.
Loneliness amongst older people is not only associated with longer hospital admissions and a higher rate of hospital readmission, but also with a higher absolute mortality rate.
At AHH, the health and happiness of our homeowners are the key drivers in every decision we make – so, how do we ensure our homeowners get the social interaction they need to live a high quality, enjoyable life?
Laura Warick, our Community Director across all six of our Platinum Skies developments tackles this challenge face-on and works closely with our Community Teams to make our retirement villages a positive and supportive place to live.
“Community spirit really needs to be felt and experienced. Community to me is a place where you have the freedom to join in as much or as little as you want. Where you know there is always a friendly face to offer support or have a spot of lunch with plus the chance to party and dance the night away when you are in the mood!”
Laura and her team have instated a range of activities and events that not only keep loneliness at bay, but also support local charities and businesses:
“One way we help our homeowners to create communities is to work with local organisations, charities and businesses which means we support the local football team, get golf club discounts and even invite the local policeman in for tea regularly.”
Our Community Teams enable Platinum Skies homeowners to take part in a range of activities, events and causes. This unlocks many opportunities for our homeowners to thrive and creates an environment where homeowners can truly be themselves.
“The real key to our thriving communities is our homeowners – they all bring their unique treasures to our developments including the wonderful artists, the amazing quiz masters and speakers and also passionate individuals who help and support each other with day-to-day tasks.”
At AHH, we know that creating a sense of community isn’t just a tick-box exercise; it’s something that needs to be nourished and celebrated over time, and our Community Teams are always looking for new ways to engage and excite our homeowners.
In fact, our Community Managers are currently undertaking formal training with the Asset-Based Community Development Institute to understand the science behind successful compassionate communities. From this, our teams will have an even deeper knowledge and insight into how to help our homeowners feel comfortable, supported and happy!
Our happy, healthy Platinum Skies communities benefit society in so many ways through:
- Reduced rates of loneliness for our homeowners
- Reduced mortality rate for our homeowners
- Reduced hospital admissions, saving the NHS services time and money
- Increased happiness and wellbeing for our homeowners and their families
Through the delivery of our AHH Shared Ownership communities, we can make a positive impact for all.
Find out how you can help deliver affordable housing for those in need ➡ click here.
References
- https://www.cdc.gov/aging/publications/features/lonely-older-adults.html#:~:text=A%20report%20from%20the%20National,considered%20to%20be%20socially%20isolated.
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8625378/#:~:text=In%20this%20regard%2C%20loneliness%20amongst,rate%20%5B14%2C26%5D.