Text of Letter to Community Care
(published in 28th April -5th May edition)

Dear Editor
The recent Practice case study (14th April) of Mrs Sullivan highlighted the strong desire of the majority of older people to continue to live independently in their own homes.
What saddened me about this case was how avoidable so many of her problems were. Referral to her local home improvement agency could have sorted out the inadequate heating, disrepair & adaptations - and offered impartial housing options advice if it did become impossible to stay put. If only this had happened some years earlier many subsequent health problems could have been avoided - just improving her heating would have reduced the admissions to hospital suffering with pneumonia.
People's attachment to their home, their identity and their sense of self are closely connected and supporting independent living is a worthy policy objective. We must avoid medicalising problems which are rooted in the state of people's physical environment and start to deal with causes rather than symptoms.
Sue Adams
Director
Care & Repair England