Companies are turning to older workers: Study London: New research has found employers are taking a more positive attitude to hiring and retaining older workers. Monash University researchers surveyed 600 large organisations and found between 40 and 50 percent were positive about workers over 55. But Monash professor Philip Taylor says the research also found a lack of interest in providing training for older workers... Full Story in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly     #440 / 25-08-10

Viability of CCRC business model challenged NEW YORK: Two reports on the Continuous Care Retirement Village (CCRC) business model published in the USA this week will add weight to the 'unbankability' line of thinking that is emerging in the UK/USA/Canada and Australasia. The USA Congress Government Accountability Office Report focuses on the vulnerability of the current business model in economic downturns. "Stagnant real... Full Story in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly     #439 / 23-08-10

Nursing staff protest over care home rent levels LONDON: Southern Cross Healthcare was the target of an unusual protest which took place outside the Harrods store in London last week. Members of the GMB union protested outside Harrods on Wednesday, waving placards saying: "Stop the right royal Qatari rip-off of Britain's elderly." The target of the protest was the owner of Harrods, the Qatari Investment Authority... Full Story in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly     #438 / 23-08-10

Southern Cross Healthcare under profit pressure DARLINGTON: Southern Cross Healthcare has been pressured by its public reporting obligations into further admissions about the extent of its revenue slippage. The care homes group, which generates about 70 per cent of its revenues from local government, said lower public sector budgets would cause its underlying earnings to be 15 per cent lower than the consensus previously predicted by City analysts.... Full Story in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly     #437 / 16-08-10

Nestor Group rejects £102m takeover approach HATFIELD: Plans from the owner of over-50s holidays company Saga and the AA motoring group to build a national home help chain were set back after bid target Nestor Healthcare rejected a £102 million approach. Acromas – formed through the 2007 merger of Saga and the AA has bought two other firms providing healthcare services at home and is in talks over several... Full Story in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly     #436 / 16-08-10

£15m keeps social housing entity going EXETER: Connaught has launched a charm offensive in an attempt to reassure suppliers that the embattled social housing maintenance group can repay its debts, after bankers granted it a vital short-term £15 million ($23 million) overdraft facility. The cash injection, which Connaught confirmed it had received, gives the FTSE 250 company time to negotiate a deal with lenders to... Full Story in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly     #435 / 9-08-10

Court sets new rules for affordable housing London: A council can legally set an affordable housing requirement that is too high to be met during a recession, the Court of Appeal has ruled. House builder Barratt Developments took Wakefield Council to court over its core strategy, which requires that urban developments comprising more than 15 homes should include at least 30 per cent affordable housing... Full Story in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly     #434 / 9-08-10

Anchor Trust to close seniors housing unit Bacup: A sheltered housing scheme in Bacup will close before Christmas after Anchor Trust decided it was no longer habitable. Each of the 21 residents were informed of the decision by letter last week. Management at Anchor, which runs a number of retirement communities in East Lancashire, said they will ensure that tenants are rehoused. Said Gill Walton, regional manager, ... Full Story in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly     #433 / 29-07-10

Helical Bar bullish on sales prospects for units London: Helical Bar (LON:HLCL) today reported the company exchanged or completed on 37 units for £14.3 million at the Bramshott Place retirement village with a further 27 units worth £11.4 million currently under offer. Helical Bar said it was pleased with the operational progress and that it was in a "happy situation" with both cash... Full Story in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly     #432 / 26-07-10

Four Seasons in talks to buy Care Principles WILMSLOW: Four Seasons Health Care is in talks to buy Care Principles from Barclays Private Equity. The negotiations come as Four Seasons struggles to complete a longrunning restructuring of its debt by amending its proposal to holders of £600 million of bonds backed by a loan to the U.K nursing-homes operator by increasing interest payments if loans aren’t repaid... Full Story in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly     #431 / 26-07-10

Retirement Villages Ltd suffers set back Cranleigh: Retirement Villages Limited has succumbed to intense local pressure and withdrawn its rejigged plans for its Elmbridge Retirement Village in Cranleigh. The Retirement Villages Ltd executive team was 'taken aback' by the virulence of the opposition to its proposals. The strength of feeling among people living at Elmbridge, which was the first of the new concept... Full Story in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly     #430 / 26-07-10

Barchester acquires care home company London: Gorseway Care, previously owned by Hermitage Housing and run by Guinness Care and Support, has been bought out by Barchester Healthcare. Gorseway owns two facilities - the 60-bed Gorseway Lodge and the 28-bed Gorseway House - which provide services for adults with a variety of care needs... Full Story in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly     #429 / 26-07-10

Donor's firm to make millions from NHS Colchester: A private health firm is set to rake in millions from a shake-up of the NHS - eight months after the boss's wife donated £21,000 to Tory health secretary Andrew Lansley. Care UK expects to earn a fortune in the biggest reform of the NHS for 60 years as private companies win a lucrative role in providing services to local GPs. As one of the UK's biggest healthcare providers... Full Story in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly     #428 / 19-07-10

HCL boss spends £7m on husband's company London: Kate Bleasdale, the colourful businesswoman behind listed medical recruitment company Healthcare Locums (HCL), has agreed a £6.7m deal to buy the business and assets of a company owned by her husband, John Cariss. The deal for the Redwood Health business comes despite the company carrying a "going concern" warning in its most recent accounts. The auditors have... Full Story in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly     #427 / 19-07-10

County Hall to put care homes on market Nottingham: A formal decision has been made to put Notts County Council's residential care homes on the open market from September. Members of the authority's cabinet made the decision at a meeting at County Hall late last week. It comes after the council held "soft marketing" events to see if there was any interest. During the meeting, the council also agreed to open a consultation about... Full Story in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly     #426 / 19-07-10

CareTech's ongoing consolidation mission Potters Bar: Social care services provider CareTech delivered robust half-year numbers to March and is carrying on with its hitherto successful consolidation strategy. On sales up 5% at £41.4 million, CareTech, whose services span residential care, supported living and community mental health, nurtured 32% profit growth to £7.6 million as the benefits of its efficient model... Full Story in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly     #425 / 19-07-10

NHS bosses in line for redundancy packages London: NHS bosses are in line for redundancy packages worth up to £900,000 each under Government plans to slash bureaucracy and hand power to GPs. Around 30,000 administrators are expected to lose their jobs as 152 primary care trusts (PCTs) and 10 strategic health authorities (SHAs) are abolished in the reorganisation. NHS organisations have been ordered to divert £1.7 billion... Full Story in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly     #424 / 19-07-10

Proton Therapy & Care Capital establish PTGM London: Proton Therapy, a US healthcare technology company, and Care Capital, a developer and investor in primary healthcare property, have announced the formation of Proton Therapy Global Management (PTGM). PTGM will design, develop and manage a global network of proton-therapy centres, providing cancer patients with access to the treatment. The company will develop... Full Story in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly     #423 / 19-07-10

Private sector has the answers on long-term care London: Age UK has called on the private sector to provide long-term care solutions for all but the lowest-income groups and warned that the Government cannot afford to provide free long-term care for all. The coalition Government agreed to take forward LibDem plans to establish a commission on long-term care, looking at several funding options... Full Story in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly     #422 / 12-07-10

Banned director defends right to work in care Stoke-On-Trent: A banned company director has defended his right to continue working within the social care industry despite the Insolvency Service finding he had approved or signed inaccurate invoices while director of a care home management company. Staffordshire-based Carl Hughes, 43, is under investigation by the Care Quality Commission for failing to inform... Full Story in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly     #421 / 12-07-10

Annuities to cover cost of care homes? London: The government has finally recognised that a big problem is coming along the tracks in the form of funding older people's long-term care needs. It seems to have quietly put aside its earlier idea that, for a payment of just £8,000, people would be covered in the event that they needed to go into a care home, or for £10,000, care in their own home. Instead, Secretary of State for Health... Full Story in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly     #420 / 12-07-10

Lansley to cut 1000s of jobs in purge of NHS London: Andrew Lansley, the health secretary, raises the spectre of heavy job losses in the NHS as he pledges to cut £1bn a year in "central bureaucracy". The plans include bringing down the axe on several health quangos. Lansley says the savings will be equivalent to the salaries of more than 30,000 nurses and will be reinvested in frontline... Full Story in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly     #419 / 12-07-10

L&Q launches rent to buy product for seniors London: London and Quadrant Housing Association is to launch a rent-to-buy product. The association, which owns and manages 60,000 homes in London and the south east, will launch a product which offers homes at 65 per cent of market rent, said David Montague, chief executive of L&Q who was speaking about the product at the British Academy in London... Full Story in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly     #418 / 12-07-10

Residents shocked by home closure plans Gateshead: Residents at a Tyneside nursing home are reeling with the news that it is to close. Anchor Trust broke the shock news to elderly people and their families at a meeting at Cromwell Court, in Bill Quay, Gateshead. The sheltered accommodation on Shields Road is made up of 21 bedsits but only 13 are occupied and efforts to attract new tenants have failed... Full Story in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly     #417 / 12-07-10

Partnership cuts last pre-funded care product London: Partnership has suspended sales of the last-remaining pre-funded long-term care product on the market. The company was the last business in the UK still providing pre-funded long term care insurance products, where customers make an up front payment for a policy that pays out if they go into a long term care arrangement... Full Story in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly     #416 / 12-07-10

Four Seasons makes play for vital loan extension Wilmslow: Four Seasons Health Care has proposed terms to extend the £600 million loan that threatens to force it into administration. The indebted care provider has been locked in negotiations with noteholders after the proposed loan extension was thrown into doubt earlier this year when American law firm Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft told Four Seasons that more than 25% of... Full Story in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly     #415 / 5-07-10

Lovell expands with its Powerminster deal Tamworth: Lovell is bolstering its maintenance division with the acquisition of a complementary operator. Powerminster Gleeson Services is part of the MJ Gleeson Group and will join the Lovell group in a deal for an undisclosed sum. It will transfer all its contracts, including a £29m, 31-year contract to provide facilities management services for... Full Story appears in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News     #414 / 5-07-10

EQT sells healthcare provider to own investor Stockholm: Swedish private equity firm EQT Partners has sold a portfolio company to its biggest investor in an unusual deal that raises questions about corporate governance in the buyout market. The transaction has come as more large investors are expected to source direct deals from their private equity managers. EQT has sold healthcare company... Full Story appears in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News     #413 / 5-07-10

Plan to redo retiree village hits 'brickwall' Cranleigh: Plans for a major redevelopment of Elmbridge Retirement Village in Cranleigh have been strongly resisted by more than 80 people at a public meeting. Responding to local concern, the parish council opted to determine the application in the village hall and elderly residents turned out in force to make their views known... Full Story appears in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News     #412 / 5-07-10

Allied Healthcare pulls its AIM listing London: A healthcare staff provider, has cancelled the trading of its depository interests on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM). Allied Healthcare only ever attracted ten stockholders. The lock-out will become effective on August 20. Allied Healthcare will continue with its listing on the NASDAQ Global Select Market. The AIM listing has proved too expensive to maintain... Full Story in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly     #411 / 5-07-10

Council cancels UK healthcare PFI proposal London: A home counties council has voted to withdraw from the PFI process for its 'aged well' care home centres scheme. In a meeting held last week, the authority decided to ice the plan. The single long term contract for four care home sites is no longer cost effective. The 25 year sign-up for 188 beds . . . Full Story appears in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News     #410 / 28-06-10

Care home group to undertake 17 new projects London: Another top 20 care home operator in the UK has announced a £50m expansion plan. Seventeen new nursing homes targeting the elderly will be opened by the end of 2012. 1200 beds will be added to company stocks and 1000 new jobs will be created said the newly installed chief executive office . . . Full Story appears in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News     #409 / 28-06-10

USA entity acquires majority stake in UK co. Armagh: A USA domiciled homecare behemoth has finalised its purchase of a 50.1 per cent shareholding in an Irish entity specialising in the elderly, physically disabled, mental health, children, new mothers and learning disabilities markets. The Irish entity currently shows revenues of £9.4m, pre-tax profits of around £300,000 and net assets of £200,000 . . . Full Story appears in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News     #408 / 28-06-10

Private equity / listed companies chase trophies London: Singapore Mainboard listed Parkway Life REIT and three UK based private equities are all chasing healthcare assets to bolster cash flows and lift stagnating returns. "The hunted include The Priory Group, the French Medi-Partnerships, Four Seasons Healthcare and two other brand names", said Dominic Hollamby, Global Head of Healthcare at . . . Full Story appears in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News     #407 / 28-06-10

Care home income to be squeezed by councils London: Care homes could be forced out of business as councils increase their payments to them by just 0.5 per cent. Councils pay for around 170,000 elderly people to be looked after in private care homes across England. While costs for providing care are expected to increase by 2.1 per cent each year . . . Full Story appears in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News     #406 / 28-06-10

Anarchy threatened over care home decision Inverness: Highland councilors are set to reverse a pledge to build five new care homes, despite the efforts of local protestors who marched on the local authority's headquarters last Friday. Private care home operators have now expressed interest in replacing council as the developer / operator in Inverness, Fort William, Grantown , Muir of Ord . . . Full Story appears in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News     #405 / 28-06-10

Retiree homes proposed for university sites Exeter: Two high-profile university campus sites in Exeter and Exmouth have been earmarked for redevelopment as retirement villages. The two developments could create up to 300 jobs in total, and will be the first of many across the country under ambitious expansion plans announced by a retirement village developer... Full Story appears in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News     #404 / 22-06-10

Second care home sale deal falls through London: The proposed sale of a West Molesey care home has collapsed. The prospective purchaser was spooked by the freeze in the money supply market. Another prospective buyer for a different Elmbridge home (in Walton) has also withdrawn. Chris Leary of Surrey County Unison is concerned that the three Surrey care homes now face... Full Story appears in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News     #403 / 22-06-10

London fund to underpin nine new care homes London: A Tyneside healthcare firm plans to create nine new care homes across the UK, which will create almost 70 jobs over the next five years and see its turnover lift forom £4m to £40m. The first centre will open in Birmingham later this year. The project is being underwritten by London based venture capital fund... Full Story appears in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News     #402 / 21-06-10

Care home CEO angry over arrest by police Newcastle: A speeding Tyneside business boss was "humiliated" in front of business partners after he was caught driving at 102mph. The care home owner was led away in handcuffs in front of his business clients after police stopped his car. The embarrassing end to a business meeting came after he hurtled his way along the A696 Woolsington bypass ... Full Story appears in current edition of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News     #401 / 21-06-10

Nine staff lose jobs at Sway nursing home Sway: Nine staff have lost their jobs after Hampshire nursing home received a zero rating from independent inspectors. The 70-bed Birchy Hill home in Sway is owned by Angel PLC, which has brought in a new management team. It follows a highly critical report by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which said patients with mental health problems were in the hands of inadequately trained and poorly supervised staff. Subscribe     #400 / 31-12-09

The Park Group comes up smelling of roses London: The freehold of three East Midlands care homes has been sold by Grant Thornton. The portfolio comprises the purpose-built, 54-bed Autumn Grange near Worksop, the 40-bed Park Lodge Care Home in Chesterfield, and the purpose-built, 50-bed Park Side home in Mansfield. The care homes were previously operated by The Park Group. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 4 January 2010 / Subscribe     #399 / 31-12-09

Romac urges Supporta to re-think Mears offer London: Romac Investments has urged the board of the domiciliary care provider Supporta to consider a cash offer for the company that is higher than the recommended all-share offer made by Mears last week. The investment company, which is a 28.2 per cent shareholder in Supporta through its wholly owned subsidiary Ginkgo Investment, said it was "very surprised" that the Mears offer had been recommended by Supporta's board.     #398 / 31-12-09

Bolton care homes sale could net £150 million Bolton: A Bolton-based business which provides specialist care and education services to children looks set to change hands for up to £150m in a deal which could net up to £20m. HG Capital and Canadian pension fund Ontario Teachers are both expected to submit bids for Acorn Care and Education to investment bank NM Rothschild, which is handling the auction on behalf of its owners, Phoenix Equity Partners. Mon 4 January 2010 / Subscribe     #397 / 31-12-09

Vandals target shuttered Stoke nursing homes Stoke: Residents are demanding answers on the future of five empty care homes which they say are targets for vandals. The homes were closed by Stoke-on-Trent Council last year as part of its modernisation of older people's services. Austin House, in Abbey Hulton, Mary Bourne Home, in Bucknall, Edith Beddow House, in Hanford, Parkside Home, in Weston Coyney and Hilton House, in Hartshill, now stand empty. Mon 4 January 2010 / Subscribe     #396 / 31-12-09

Cafe steps in after care home shuts kitchen Wolverhampton: A Wolverhampton city centre cafe owner has offered to provide pensioners at a doomed care home with a cooked breakfast every morning following the news that its kitchen would shut a fortnight before residents are moved out. Vicky Beswick, owner of Il Cappuccino, says she will deliver the meals to Underhill House, in Bushbury, if the city council agrees. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Subscribe     #395 / 31-12-09

High court bars council from removing wardens London: A high court judge this week stopped a council from removing 24-hour live-in wardens from sheltered housing in a blow to the Conservative authority's attempt to remodel itself as "easyCouncil" after the no-frills budget airline easyJet. The judicial review of Barnet council's cost-cutting decision followed a campaign by elderly residents of sheltered housing in the north London borough. Mon 21 December 2009 / Subscribe     #394 / 17-12-09

Palliative care unit still not open 6 months on Spalding: A palliative care unit that could be offering vital care to patients across South Holland is not open because there is no staff to man it. The four-bed unit should have opened with the rest of Spalding's Johnson Community Hospital back in June, but six months on the fully-furnished unit remains empty. Currently there are about 25 people in Lincolnshire waiting for palliative care beds. Mon 30 November 2009 / Subscribe     #393 / 24-11-09

£130 million pledged for telecare and home help London: The Government has pledged to invest £130m in initiatives such as telecare and home adaptations as part of its free personal care measures outlined in the Queen's Speech. The Government said its Personal Care at Home Bill would help 130,000 people needing home care for the first time to regain their independence. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 30 November 2009 / Subscribe     #392 / 24-11-09

PM to freeze private companies out of NHS London: Gordon Brown is facing a damaging rift with his party after slowing the pace of reform in the NHS. Private companies and charities are being frozen out of the NHS, prompting accusations that the Government has bowed to pressure from the unions. Andy Burnham, the Health Secretary, is facing a Cabinet backlash. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 30 November 2009 / Subscribe     #391 / 24-11-09

Leak reveals planned Northumberland cuts Morpeth: A leaked report has laid bare the full extent of a £16m package of cuts being drawn up by council bosses in Northumberland. Details of Northumberland County Council's draft budget for 2010/11 will go to the Liberal Democrat controlled authority's executive later this month, with the anticipated savings coming in at £15.772m. The document proposes a series of cuts which are expected to affect adult care and services.     #390 / 24-11-09

ISoft secures $5.4m in UK software contracts Sheffield: ISoft Group Limited (ISF) said it had inked two new agreements with UK health care trusts worth $5.4m. The provision of new hospital information systems for the Wand- sworth and Sheffield NHS Foundation Trusts represents the latest contract win for the Australian health care software provider. The Sheffield contract was worth $3.7m in software and six-years of support, while the Wandsworth contract would bring in around $1.7m over 3 years.     #389 / 24-11-09

Age Concern doubt over elderly funding plans London: Town halls will lack the funding to turn the Government's free care for the elderly revolution into reality, a charity warned last week. The newly-merged Age Concern and Help the Aged charity cast doubt on flagship plans to fund everyday home help, such as getting up, dressing, washing and using the toilet, for about 280,000 of the neediest pensioners in England, from October. Mon 30 November 2009 / Subscribe     #388 / 23-11-09

Labour peers savage Brown's free care plan London: A key plank of Gordon Brown's re-election strategy was condemned by members of his own party yesterday as irresponsible, unaffordable and based on a myth. The Prime Minister's plan to offer free care at home to the elderly, outlined yesterday in the last Queen's Speech before the general election, was compared to "an admiral firing an Exocet into his own flagship". Mon 23 November 2009 / Subscribe     #387 / 19-11-09

Training in dementia for NGH nursing staff Northampton: Nurses at Northampton General Hosp- ital are being trained how to handle people with dementia in the wake of criticism of all nurses' knowledge of the condi- tion by a leading charity. The Alzheimer's Society has published figures suggesting almost 9 out of 10 nurses feel they have not been schooled properly in dealing with dementia and accused the authorities of maintaining a "scandalous" standard of care for patients.     #386 / 19-11-09

Free homecare plans a headache for UK councils London: Prime minister Gordon Brown’s plans for free home care for those "in highest need" were aimed at pleasing voters. But the lack of detail and funding provision caused headaches for councils. Exclusive LGC research confirms the fears and gives an indication of the extent of the challenge ahead. The Government had estimated the plan will cost an additional £670m annually, with councils contributing £250m. Mon 23 November 2009 / Subscribe     #385 / 19-11-09

Scotland appointed new care home Tsar Edinburgh: A new Scotland-wide care home champion has been appointed to help older people live better quality lives. Edith Macintosh, who lives in Perth, is a highly-experienced occupational therapist. She will spend the next two years working with care homes and day care services to help drive up standards of care and support. The appoint- ment which has been funded by the Government is expected to play a major role in creating improvement.     #384 / 19-11-09

Queen's speech to address free social care London: Gordon Brown will make social care for the elderly the centrepiece of the Queen's speech by introducing free care for some of the most needy pensioners in their own homes. Ministers said the measures represented a staging post to help the most vulnerable before the introduction of a broader white paper on the national carers strategy, and then consensus-based legislation in the next parliament. Mon 23 November 2009 / Subscribe     #383 / 17-11-09

Ministerial group to improve dementia research London: The UK's leading charity for dementia research, the Alzheimer's Research Trust, has welcomed the formation of a new Ministerial Group on Dementia Research announced last week by the Minister for Care Services, Phil Hope. The move is the major development in a report published by the Department for Health and Medical Research Council following July’s Dementia Research Summit. Full Day Trends     #382 / 9-11-09

Providers call for commitment to elderly services Wetherby: Retirement housing providers Anchor Trust and Housing 21 are calling on the Government to voice its support for older people's services, following the publication of an influential select committee report. The Communities and Local Government Select Committee’s report on Supporting People was published last week. The committee of MPs described the future of accommodation-based services for older people as "a major concern".     #381 / 9-11-09

Free care plan has made green paper incoherent London: Social care commentators have warned the Government's pledge to provide free personal home care for users with critical care needs has made its green paper proposals incoherent. The warnings came at last week's second hearing of the health select committee's inquiry into adult social care. The free care pledge was made by prime minister Gordon Brown in late September. Full Day Trends     #380 / 9-11-09

Tories pledge £8,000 care home insurance plan London: The Conservatives have set out their key priorities for adult social care should they win the next election, including a pledge to legislate on insuring people against care home costs. The party announced this week it would produce a white paper, followed by legislation, to set up a home protection scheme, under which people would be able to pay a one-off fee on retirement - estimated to be £8,000 - and have their care home costs covered.     #379 / 5-11-09

Tightened eligibility denying care to disabled London: Disabled people are being denied the social care services they need due to poverty, charges and tightening eligibility criteria, Leonard Cheshire Disability has said. The charity's third Disability Review - its third annual stocktake of the lives of disabled people - showed a fall in the proportion of people accessing social care, with services increasingly concentrated on those with higher needs. Mon 9 November 2009 / Subscribe     #378 / 5-11-09

Cornwall Care upgrades day care services Bodmin: Day care services at Athelstan House, in Bodmin, are to move to completely refurbished accommodation within the main building as part a move designed to improve the service offered to clients. Cornwall Care took the opportunity to share its plans for improvement with clients and relatives at a public meeting. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 2 November 2009 / Subscribe     #377 / 29-10-09

Housing staff face cuts in bid to save £2.25m Colchester: Almost 20 housing service staff at Colchester Council could be facing redundancy. Council chiefs want to save hundreds of thousands of pounds through an overhaul of its housing service. More than 70 staff are paid a total of £2.25 million a year to deal with residents who want a council home or need to find the right housing benefit for them. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 2 November 2009 / Subscribe     #376 / 29-10-09

Councillors to review home care services in Bath Bath: Watchdog councillors are to investigate whether the privatisation of home care services in Bath is working or not. Bath and North East Somerset Council brought in five firms and charities to run home care services last year. Now its Healthier Communities and Older People Overview and Scrutiny Panel is to carry out a review of the system - amid claims that politicians are "constantly" hearing complaints. Mon 2 November 2009 / Subscribe     #375 / 29-10-09

Calls for national criteria to assess elderly needs Dublin: National criteria for assessing the needs of older people in their homes, for means-testing them and for ensur- ing they are getting the homecare they need must be implem- ented, the Chairman of the Carers' Association has said. Frank Goodwin was speaking after the publication of a rep- ort titled Implementation of the Home Care Package Scheme which has been welcomed for providing "hard evidence" of issues faced by organisations.     #374 / 29-10-09

Reform plans welcomed by Alzheimer's Society London: The Alzheimer's Society has welcomed proposed plans by the Conservative Party to reform the care system. The shadow health secretary has highlighted how people over the age of 65 could be covered by a home protection scheme which would prevent them from being pushed into selling their home to cover care home costs. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 2 November 2009 / Subscribe     #373 / 27-10-09

Appeal Court bid to stop care home closures Southampton: A campaign to save two council care homes from closure in Southampton is going to the Court of Appeal. Elderly residents of Whitehaven Lodge in Millbrook and Birch Lawn in Sholing want a judicial review of Southampton City Council's decision to shut the homes to cut costs. They say the Tory-run council had not fully taken into account the health effects of moving residents. Mon 2 November 2009 / Subscribe     #372 / 27-10-09

State must pay more in nursing homes row Dublin: Hundreds of older people or their families who were illegally charged for public nursing home beds have successfully appealed the size of the awards given to them. The repayment scheme, which refunds those charged despite having medical card entitlement to free care, is now set to cost the State upwards of €365 million. The charges continued over a 30-year period from the mid-1970s until 2004. Mon 2 November 2009 / Subscribe     #371 / 27-10-09

14,000 people paying for community care Cardiff: There are 14,000 people in Wales who currently pay for community care services. These services allow dis- abled people to live at home with dignity and independence and include things like help with getting washed and dress- ed in the morning, and getting into bed at night. Research commissioned by the Welsh Assembly Government last year shows that charges for these services vary significantly across Wales. Subscribe     #370 / 27-10-09

Over 50s Housing trends seminar set down London: A series of briefings on new trends in over-50s housing in the UK and Ireland is set down for late November 2009. The focus of the world authority on seniors housing trends is to brief council representatives, planners, develop- ers, landscape architects and 'Whitehall mandarins' on the exactitudes of consumer demand. The briefings will be held in London, Manchester, Edinburgh, and Dublin. For more information please go to Full Day Trends     #369 / 27-10-09

Sunrise Senior Living to sell 21 communities London: Sunrise Senior Living Inc said it would sell 21 of its assisted living communities to an affiliate of rival Brookdale Senior Living Inc for $204 million. Sunrise, which said earlier this year that it might have to reorganize under bankruptcy protection if it could not reach agreements with lenders to restructure debt, expects to record a related charge of about $7 million in the third quarter. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Subscribe     #368 / 12-10-09

Care industry using students as cheap labour London: Unemployment stands at close to 2.5 million in the UK, but the care industry is still failing to attract the nec- essary workforce because of the harsh working conditions in the sector. Employers in privately run nursing homes, care homes, and care agencies are more dependent on students from the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) in Health and Social Care as their main source of cheap, skilled and flexible labour, says World Socialist Web Site.     #367 / 8-10-09

Healthcare assets resist full force of downturn London: Long leases have helped UK healthcare proper- ties to significantly outperform the broader domestic market last year, according to the inaugural IPD UK Annual Healthcare Index. Average new lease lengths for healthcare assets were more than treble those in the broader market at 31.9 years compared to just 9.7 years. The new index Colliers International and Hempsons measuring 613 healthcare properties worth £1.87 billion. Subscribe     #366 / 8-10-09

106-year-old woman loses care home fight London: A battle by one of Britain's oldest woman to stop the closure of her council-run care home has failed at the Court of Appeal. Campaigning solicitor Yvonne Hossack, representing 106-year-old Louisa Watts, was told by two judges that there were no grounds to allow an appeal. Lord Justice Sedley said: "If there were any firm findings that moving Mrs Watts would shorten her life the decision would be quite different." Subscribe     #365 / 8-10-09

£159 million health overhaul takes shape Edinburgh: A £159m proposal has emerged as an NHS board's preferred method for improving health services in south west Scotland. Three different options will be put out to public consultation in Dumfries and Galloway. All the proposals include a multi-million pound redevelopment of Dumfries Infirmary. The preferred option is also the most expensive scheme being put forward but it would lead to the closure of five cottage hospitals in the region.     #364 / 7-10-09

Complaints over Lancashire adult care rise Preston: Social services have recorded a 30 per cent rise in complaints concerning adult care over the past 12 months. The rise coincides with Lancashire County Council raising the threshold for people receiving domiciliary care, in their own home, from moderate to substantial needs towards the end of 2007. Council officials have confirmed that the largest proportion of complaints in 2008-09 relate to home care. Mon 12 October 2009 / Subscribe     #363 / 7-10-09

Federation slams Tory 'right to move' plans London: The National Housing Federation has branded Conservative proposals to help social tenants move house 'unworkable'. Federation chief executive David Orr said the right to move idea addresses a 'critical issue', but is the wrong way to solve the problem. Shadow housing minister Grant Shapps reiterated the party's commitment to pilot the scheme in his speech to its annual conference in Manchester. Mon 12 October 2009 / Subscribe     #362 / 7-10-09

Age Action charity says elderly needs not met London: The basic needs of elderly people will not be met under the Government's new nursing home fees support scheme, it has been claimed. Age Action maintained paym- ents by residents will not include incontinence wear, phy- siotherapy, chiropody or specialised wheelchairs for non- medical card holders. Spokesman Eamon Timmins criticised agreements reached between the nursing home owners and the National Treatment Purchase Fund.     #361 / 7-10-09

Four Seasons Health Care appoints new director Wilmslow: Four Seasons Health Care has appointed Kevin Roberts to its Senior Management Team as Director of Strategy. He will work closely with Chief Executive Dr. Pete Calveley to enhance development of the Group. Kevin Roberts joins Four Seasons Health Care from the Bupa Care Services senior management team. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 12 October 2009 / Subscribe     #360 / 6-10-09

Labour challenge Tory care home scheme London: Labour has claimed that a Conservative plan to guarantee residential care-home fees for life in exchange for an estimated £8,000 one-off fee will cost taxpayers billions of pounds. The Tories says that the plan is fully self-financing. It is intended to counter Prime Minister Gordon Brown's pledge to provide free personal home care for 350,000 elderly people in England and Wales from next September. Mon 12 October 2009 / Subscribe     #359 / 6-10-09

Government to lift compulsory retirement age? London: Millions of middle-aged workers are to be forced to wait an extra year before collecting their state pension under plans to be announced by the Tories. In a bold measure that risks alienating voters currently in their 50s, George Osborne is to warn that a planned rise in the pension age from 65 to 66 must be brought forward by up to a decade. The move would allow him to reduce Britain's massive deficit by £13 billion a year. Subscribe     #358 / 6-10-09

Parties policies wrong says think tank London: Labour and the Conservatives need to produce a comprehensive reform to the big problem of social care funding, not the piecemeal approach adopted by each side, says the King's Fund health think tank. Labour last week announced free personal care for people in their own homes. The Conservatives responded with an insurance scheme. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 12 October 2009 / Subscribe     #357 / 6-10-09

Conservatives unveil care home help plan London: The Conservatives raised the stakes with Labour in the fight for older people's votes with a pre-election promise of free residential care for anyone who agrees to pay a one-off fee when they reach 65. David Cameron's opposition party, which leads in the polls with an election due by next June, said the move would help thousands of elderly people to avoid having to sell their home to pay expensive care home bills. Subscribe     #356 / 5-10-09

Care UK rejects Bridgepoint Capital offer London: Care UK Plc said it rejected an unsolicited approach from British private-equity investor Bridgepoint Capital Ltd. Shares of the health and social care provider were up 30 per cent at a 52-week high of 387.5 pence at 0931 GMT on the London Stock Exchange. "The approach was very preliminary in nature and, having discussed it with its advisers Investec, the board rejected it," Care UK said in a statement. Mon 5 October 2009 / Subscribe     #355 / 1-10-09

Four Seasons finalises debt restructuring deal London: Care home operator Four Seasons Health Care (FUSEH.UL) has agreed a debt restructuring deal with its lenders. Talks over the deal had been ongoing for more than a year and were closely watched due to the implications for other property-backed financings. According to Ian Martin, a corporate partner at law firm Macfarlanes, the deal is the first in a wave of commercial mortgage-backed securities restruct- urings expected over the next few years.     #354 / 30-09-09

Brown pledges 'national care service' for elderly Brighton: The Prime Minister made the surprise announ- cement about free personal care at the Labour Party conference in Brighton. Charities welcomed his words, but raised fears about the funding and delivery of the pledge, which will affect up to 350,000 people. The plans will apply in England and Wales and will apply from September next year if Labour wins the next election. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Subscribe     #353 / 30-09-09

High Court rules on British retirement age London: The High Court in London has upheld a law that allows British employers to force workers to retire at the age of 65. The High Court in London upheld the law, but a judge said that there was a compelling case for the compulsory retirement age to rise. Age Concern and Help the Aged have long argued that the British law is in breach of the European Union's Equal Treatment at Work Directive. Mon 5 October 2009 / Subscribe     #352 / 28-09-09

Housing 21 agrees terms for home care company Beaconsfield: Sheltered housing and care provider Housing 21 has agreed terms to buy nursing and care services company Claimar Care for £19.5 million. The deal makes Housing 21 one of the top providers of community care. The social enterprise will be delivering over 80,000 hours of home care and other care services. Shareholders in Claimar Care will receive 39 pence per share as part of the deal. Mon 7 September 2009 / Subscribe     #351 / 2-09-09

UK housing associations become lemons? London: Housing associations own half the 4.8m social homes in the UK but are facing a dramatic loss of income next year that could damage the provision of low-cost hous- ing in Britain. According to the Tenant Services Authority (TSA), 59 housing associations are already entirely depend- ent on selling properties to cover their interest bills and 160 associations rely on sales for at least 25pc of their interest cover. Mon 7 September 2009 / Subscribe     #350 / 1-09-09

Tories seek to block housing applications? London: Conservative MPs and councils have been advis- ed to delay major housing developments until a Tory admini- stration gets into power, according to a letter from Caroline Spelman, the shadow communities secretary. The move will anger house builders and homeless charities desperate to see more homes being built. The letter outlines the Conservatives' intention of introducing a new local Government and housing bill in its first year of office.     #349 / 1-09-09

300 to attend Over-50s Housing Awards event London: 300 industry leaders will fill the Park Lane Hotel in London on 17/9/2009 for the inaugural UK Over-50s Housing Awards presentation. "The awards focus on those individuals and entities that have recognised what the mar- ket is seeking," said the Editor of the UK Over-50s Housing News, Mr Esmonde Crawley. Over 30 award winners will be present including Four Seasons, Barchester, MHA, Churchill, Berkeley and European Care.     #348 / 27-08-09

Further write downs hit Bovis Homes results Longfield: Bovis Homes has reported an £8.6 million loss for the first six months of 2009, after writing down the value of its land by £8.9 million. The reduction comes on top of a £77.4 million write down in the value of its assets last year, which contributed to a £78.7 million loss in its 2008 full year results. Before the latest write down, Bovis' profits for the first half of 2009 stood at £1.2 million, down from £11.7 million for the comparable period of 2008. Subscribe     #347 / 26-08-09

Water treatment company dealt fine of £41k Wokingham: A water treatment company must pay more than £41,000 for placing elderly care home residents at risk of legionnaires disease. Deba UK Ltd pleaded guilty to carrying out inadequate and misleading legionella surveys on water systems at nursing homes in Blaenau Gwent and Powys. The firm pleaded guilty to three charges under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. They were fined £24,000 and ordered to pay costs of £17,276. Subscribe     #346 / 18-08-09

Woman, 96, killed after fierce fire in her flat Lutterworth: An elderly woman died after fire ripped through her flat in Lutterworth. A spokesman for Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said the cause of the blaze was under investigation. Insp Neal Holland said the fire was not being treated as suspicious and added that a report was being prepared for the Leicester Coroners' Office. John Jones, relief manager of The Hawthorns complex, said: "This was a very sad incident." Subscribe     #345 / 18-08-09

Housing starts will not recover for five years London: Peter Redfern, the Chief Executive of Taylor Wimpey, said the UK housing market is likely to see a "slow, gradual recovery". Around 70,000 private homes are set to be built in the UK in 2009, the lowest level since 1924 and down on the recent annual average of roughly 170,000. Mr Redfern warned that, as a consequence of market conditions, housing starts are likely to remain "constrained". The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Subscribe     #343 / 18-08-09

New extra care scheme coming to Goldthorpe Goldthorpe: A sod cutting ceremony to mark the start of building works of a new extra care scheme in Goldthorpe, near Barnsley took place on Monday 3rd August 2009. Cherry Tree Court, which is the second extra care scheme for Chevin in the Barnsley area will be a three storey extra care scheme comprising 60 apartments, 59 x 2 bedroom and 1 x 1 bedroom, all for affordable rent. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Subscribe     #342 / 6-08-09

Investigation at new £3.5 million care home Bristol: Bosses of a £3.5m nursing home have launched a 'full investigation' after concerns about residents' care have been raised only three months after it opened. The investigation was sparked when worries about care at the home were raised by a resident's family. Crossley House, in Thornton Road, Fairweather Green opened its doors in May after being purpose-built by Gateshead-based Hadrian Healthcare, creating 50 new jobs. Subscribe     #341 / 6-08-09

Laundry to switch to servicing healthcare? Newton Abbot: Union bosses say workers at a Newton Abbot factory are concerned about their future following proposed changes to their contracts. CLS Laundry, on the outskirts of Newton Abbot, is believed to be undergoing a 90-day consultation process with employees on proposals to change their current contracts. It currently provides services for the tourism industry but may be switching to services for healthcare linen and laundry. Subscribe     #340 / 3-08-09

Taxman faces bill over flood of VAT writs London: The taxman is facing a sudden flood of legal claims that could blow a massive new hole in the public finances. 300 High Court claims have been lodged against Revenue & Customs by companies and local authorities. Tax officials believe the rise in the number of claims relates to millions of pounds of interest the taxman may owe to companies it accidentally overcharged for VAT. Barratt Developments has lodged its writ. Subscribe     #339 / 3-08-09

Redemption not available on earth it seems Dinnington: Selva Bala thought that spending £500,000 on a makeover of his 40 bed North Anston care home, and re-educating his staff would be enough to persuade Rotherham Council to lift its 'suspension of placements' edict on his Highfields home. But the council is intractable, and ex-residents have burst into print labelling the council the 'Gestapo'. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 10 Aug 2009 / Subscribe     #338 / 3-08-09

Birmingham extra care village set to open Birmingham: Birmingham's first £37m retirement village will open next Spring. The project is a partnership between Birmingham City Council, Midland Heart, The ExtraCare Charitable Trust and The Homes and Communities Agency. The New Oscott properties are representative of a new style of accommodation that will appear in four more City Villages proposed by The City Council and ExtraCare. Mon 27 July 2009 / Subscribe     #337 / 23-07-09

Retirement village favoured for Ryedale site? Malton: Around 2,200 people have been to a series of exhibitions showing sites for potential development in Ryedale over the next 15 years. More than 450 sites have been put forward by landowners for Ryedale Council to consider as it looks to meet Government targets to build 200 new houses each year. Sites which have received many comments are Rogers Nurseries, Whitby Road, and the suggestion for a retirement village based at Mickle Hill.     #336 / 23-07-09

Unions meet care home staff over closures Cardiff: Unions were meeting care home staff this week amid concern and uncertainty over the council's plans. Some 80 of the 236 council-employed care home staff have applied for the council's offer of voluntary redundancy. Around 32 members of staff at the St Isan care home in Llanishen are also facing being transferred to Hafod Housing Association on secondment – although the home itself is slated for closure in seven years. Subscribe     #335 / 22-07-09

National Care Insurance is payment 'con' London: Savers worried about funding long-term care still need to make their own provision, advisers have warned. Launching the 'Future of Care' green paper last Tuesday, Health Secretary Andy Burham outlined options to reform social-care funding in England. Alistair How, Director of Bupa Care Homes, says many people will also be concerned to discover that costs such as board and lodging in care homes are not covered by the proposals.     #334 / 20-07-09

Lawyer challenging default retirement age Bidborough: A Kent lawyer challenging the default retirement age in the appeal court after he was made to stop work at 65 has said he still has a lot to offer. Leslie Seldon, from Bidborough, now 68, believes he was discriminated against on the grounds of age. He has been backed by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, but is opposed by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills. Mon 27 July 2009 / Subscribe     #333 / 20-07-09

Compulsory retirement age fight in High Court London: A renewed legal battle to outlaw compulsory retirement at 65 begins in the High Court today, spearheaded by Help the Aged and Age Concern. They will be arguing that the Default Retirement Age introduced under the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 fails to interpret an EU Directive against age discrimination correctly. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 27 July 2009 / Subscribe     #332 / 20-07-09

Seven Essex care home staff suspended Thaxted: Seven members of staff at an Essex home for elderly people with dementia have been suspended over allegations of poor care, verbal abuse and assault. Inquiries are under way into the Humfrey Lodge care home in Thaxted. Essex County Council say 13 allegations have been made and the inquiry began when a staff member at the home was accused of assault. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Subscribe     #331 / 20-07-09

Muslim owner takes pork off care home menu Rotherham: The Muslim owner of a care home has removed bacon sandwiches and sausages from its menu, angering its residents - none of whom share his beliefs. Dr Zulfikar Ali Khan stopped deliveries from a family butcher who had supplied the home for years in favour of ordering only halal meat from another firm. The 40 pensioners at the Queen's Care Centre found themselves without traditional favourites such as bacon butties. Subscribe     #330 / 20-07-09

Pensioners face £20,000 bill for long-term care London: Millions of pensioners could be forced to pay £20,000 into a compulsory insurance scheme to guarantee basic social care under plans unveiled yesterday. The controversial proposal is one of three put forward by ministers to ease the current crisis in the English care system which is facing a £6 billion funding black hole in the next 20 years. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 20 July 2009 / Subscribe     #329 / 15-07-09

Four Seasons Healthcare group puts off sale Wilmslow: The board of Four Seasons Healthcare, the heavily indebted UK care homes company, has decided to put off a sale of the business after a final-hour agreement was struck among senior creditors to push ahead with a debt restructuring. The move on Monday, means the business is now likely to end up in the hands of its creditors through the process of a debt-for-equity swap, which will roughly halve Four Seasons’ £1.5bn in loans. Subscribe     #328 / 14-07-09

New £10k 'tax' to fund care home sparks fury London: Plans for people to pay £10,000 each for care homes in their old age, was greeted with anger today. The proposal, unveiled by Health Secretary Andy Burnham, is intended to stop tens of thousands being forced to sell their homes or use savings to meet the cost. But Mark Wallace of the TaxPayers' Alliance said: "We had been told our care was part of the huge amount of tax we pay during our lives." Mon 20 July 2009 / Subscribe     #327 / 14-07-09

Retirement age could be raised above 65 London: A review of the default retirement age is being brought forward, at the same time as ministers prepare to unveil long-awaited proposals on how care for the country's increasing number of pensioners will be funded. It comes in the same week as two separate court challenges to the official policy on older employees, which could rule it illegal. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 20 July 2009 / Subscribe     #326 / 14-07-09

'Care insurance' planned for elderly population London: Older people in England could be asked to take out insurance to pay for long-term care in their old age. The idea is thought to be one option proposed by ministers in a green paper due today on reform of funding of residential and home-based social care. The current system of means tested social care for elderly and disabled people is widely regarded as unfair. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Subscribe     #325 / 14-07-09

Pet communities are wanted by the over-50s London: "Over 50s housing developers continue to ignore the real market in the UK and then endlessly lament high vacancy rates," said the Editor of the UK Over 50s Housing Weekly, Esmonde Crawley, at a world symposium on over 50s housing trends held in South Africa on Friday. He was commenting on the Care Homes (Domestic Pets) Bill tabled by Dr Nick Palmer MP, which sought to clarify pets policy regulations in care homes. Subscribe     #324 / 13-07-09

Home care workers protest over drastic cuts Ballybofey: On Saturday, several hundred people took to the streets of Ballybofey, Co Donegal, in protest at plans by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to cut up to 27,000 home help hours in the county this year. The HSE, which is seeking further discussions with IMPACT and SIPTU, says its challenge is to address an overspend on last year's budget in "a manner which retains existing levels of services within available funding". Subscribe     #323 / 13-07-09

New stealth tax on middle classes to pay for care London: The elderly are to be asked to pay thousands of pounds each to help create a new 'National Care Service' under radical proposals to be unveiled this week. Health Secretary Andy Burnham will vow to end the scandal of tens of thousands of people being forced to sell family homes to pay for a place in a care home. The Government is set to promise the first national 'minimum care entitlement' to end a postcode lottery. Subscribe     #322 / 13-07-09

Nursing home standards to cost €1.2 billion Dublin: The cost of upgrading public nursing homes to comply with new na­tional residential standards, which came into force last week, could amount to €1.2 billion, according to a Regulatory Impact Assessment carried out by the Department of Health. The report states that while private nursing homes are already largely compliant with the quality standards, "significant shortfalls" were identified with the infrastructure in public homes. Subscribe     #321 / 13-07-09

Unions hit out at care home redundancies Birmingham: Union leaders are stepping up their campaign against compulsory redundancies at Birmingham City Council, accusing the Conservative-led authority of deliberately refusing to put in place strategies to avoid sacking workers. The prospect of 180 staff who run care homes losing their jobs has focused attention on employment protection promises made last year. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Subscribe     #320 / 2-07-09

TV channel launched to boost staff skills Oxford: A subscription television channel for care homes has been launched in a bid to boost staff skills. The Aged Care Channel will provide 18 training programmes during the year to member care providers, including best practice advice, case studies and testimonies from staff and residents. Care staff will be able to phone in to ask questions of the experts involved in each programme. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Subscribe     #319 / 1-07-09

Bridgepoint slims down to beat the recession London: UK buyout firm Bridgepoint, which specialises in healthcare as one of its core sectors, has slimmed down its portfolio and adopted a cautious investment strategy in a bid to remain as fit as possible during what it is now predicting will be a prolonged trough. Stephen Green was appointed a Bridgepoint partner last week. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 6 July 2009 / Subscribe     #318 / 1-07-09

Fit-out company targeting healthcare sector Glasgow: A successful drive for public sector work helped Morris & Spottiswood, a retail fit-out specialist, to limit damage caused by the retail slowdown in the latest financial year, when it managed to remain comfortably in the black and free of borrowings but laid off 100 staff. The company won an additional £12m business in areas like social housing, healthcare and education. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Subscribe     #317 / 1-07-09

50 care home developers vie for top award London: Surjit Singh Rai is bucking the recession with ambitious plans to open four new residential care homes for his group Rushcliffe Care over the next 18 months, increasing turnover from £25m to between £35m and £40m. Rushcliffe Care is one of 50 UK care companies growing quickly in the UK over 50s housing market. The 50 top contenders will be honoured at an awards lunch in London on September 17, 2009. Awards     #316 / 30-06-09

Seniors housing developer to be liquidated Leeds: Leeds-based developer KW Linfoot will enter a creditors' voluntary liquidation (CVL) after administrators were unable to realise sufficient funds to pay the company's debts. Some 52 claims have been made against the company by creditors since it entered administration, totalling £12.1m. Another 38 creditors have not lodged claims as yet. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 29 June 2009 / Subscribe     #315 / 29-06-09

Black Swan care group expands in East Anglia Dereham: Care home group Black Swan International has increased its East Anglian presence with the acquisition of its tenth care home. Black Swan recorded a turnover of £4.2m and expects to increase that next year after buying Westfield House in Dereham. It becomes the group's sixth home in Norfolk and is for people with dementia, adding to a portfolio including homes for the elderly, physically disabled and people with learning difficulties.     #314 / 29-06-09

Woman dies in fire at Peverel Group complex St. Albans: A pensioner, believed to be in her seventies and wheelchair bound, died after her warden assisted flat in St. Augusta Court St. Albans caught fire. The victim was dragged from her home on the first floor of the block of retirement flats in Batchwood View as flames began to engulf her lounge. The victim's battery-controlled fire alarm had sounded. The assisted living complex is owned and managed by the Peverel Group. Subscribe     #313 / 29-06-09

Bupa Finance new bond rating revealed London: Fitch Ratings has assigned UK-based healthcare and insurance provider Bupa Finance Plc's proposed new GBP guaranteed, senior unsecured bond an expected rating of 'A-'. This is in line with Bupa Finance's existing senior unsecured rating of 'A-'. The company's long-term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) is 'A-' with a negative outlook. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 29 June 2009 / Subscribe     #312 / 29-06-09

Private equity bidder eyes Just Retirement London: Just Retirement, the annuities and equity release specialist, is considering an expression of interest from a private equity bidder. Avalon Acquisitions Limited, part of the Permira private equity group, has offered around £117m for a 52% share of the company. Shares in AIM listed Just Retirement jumped 10% to 71p on the news. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 29 June 2009 / Subscribe     #310 / 29-06-09

Officials say care home plan 'should be rejected' Tadcaster: Officials say a healthcare company has not provided sufficient special circumstances to justify building a new 50-bedroom nursing home and 15 close care apartments in green belt which is also a locally-designated Historic Park and Garden. Barchester Healthcare has waited for more than 18 months for a decision from Selby District Council on its proposal to demolish Highfield Nursing Home at Scarthingwell Park, Barkston Ash.     #309 / 29-06-09

Posh Director to open new Craegmoor home Worcester: Posh Director of football Barry Fry will open a new residential unit at a care home for people with learning disabilities next week. He will be on hand to mark the official opening of the semi-independent accommodation at Conquest House, in Farcet, near Peterborough, on July 1. The development is a first for Craegmoor Healthcare, which operates the home. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Subscribe     #308 / 29-06-09

Arson-hit care home to be pulled down Blackburn: A care home targeted by arsonists will be demolished, according to council chiefs. Firefighters spent 12 hours tackling a blaze at Mowbray Day Centre, off Park Lee Road, Higher Croft, Blackburn, after it was allegedly torched by vandals on Sunday evening. Stephen Sloss, Director of Adult Social Services at the council, said: "The day centre and the neighbouring Mowbray Lodge Hostel will be demolished as soon as possible." Subscribe     #307 / 25-06-09

Lender rejects proposal to restructure care group London: A care home group will not automatically be sold after one of its backers rejected proposals to restructure its massive debts. The lender's rejection of the proposals for Four Seasons Health Care's £1.5bn debt was described as "manoeuvring" last night. Four Seasons owns and operates over 400 care centres and nursing homes and employs over 21,000 people in the UK. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Subscribe     #306 / 24-06-09

Sunrise Senior Living continues to implode ST. LOUIS: Sunrise Senior Living is suspending operations indefinitely (starting August 17) at its Clayton on the Park seniors housing property in St. Louis. Sunrise and Conrad Properties invested more than $10m to transform the 23 storey hotel into luxury apartments for seniors last year. Sunrise lost a clutch of management contracts with HCP Inc. last week. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 29 June 2009 / Subscribe     #305 / 23-06-09

Insolvency probe holds no fear says Linfoot LEEDS: A Director of the collapsed Leeds property group KW Linfoot has welcomed an insolvency expert's investigation into the company's activities and stressed the probe was simply standard procedure. Peel Holdings is the largest creditor of KW Linfoot, the Leeds city-living specialist which went into administration in February, left landmark building projects including planned skyscraper Lumiere unfinished. Mon 29 June 2009 / Subscribe     #304 / 23-06-09

Bovis Lend Lease loses $US72.7 million project London: Bovis Lend Lease has lost a $US72.7 million contract to build a New York school for failing to reveal it was the focus of a criminal probe. US authorities are investigating Bovis Lend Lease for payroll and billing irregularities at five other New York projects, including the September 11 Memorial, University Hospital and the Citi Field stadium, home of the Mets baseball team. Mon 29 June 2009 / Subscribe     #303 / 23-06-09

Sunrise 'fired' from management contracts McLean, VA: Sunrise Senior Living Inc. continues to lurch from crisis to disaster. HCP Inc., whose real estate holdings include hundreds of senior communities, is firing Sunrise from more than a dozen of its properties. Long Beach-based HCP said it has terminated management contracts at 15 communities operated by Sunrise for failing to meet performance goals. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Subscribe     #300 / 22-06-09

Over 50s flock to reconstituted High St. pubs London: Hit by new social habits, the nation's public houses are being sold off at a rate of 50 a week, snapped up by developers who are turning the Red Lions into Chinese restaurants, offices, supermarkets, doctors' surgeries, car sales lots, and niche over 50s housing apartments. The trend is one of 50 challenging traditional housing providers. Trends     #299 / 22-06-09

Property players on opposite sides of street London: Mike Slade, the Chief Executive of Helical Bar who has built a personal £85m fortune on the back of a string of brave (and well timed) calls warned that it would be two years before we see recovery. Gerald Ronson is even more bearish. Meanwhile banks remain cautious, meaning that leverage is still hard to secure. But Paul Roy, Raymond Mould and Patrick Vaughan disagree. They have been investing for months. Subscribe     #298 / 22-06-09

Push for abolition of leasehold growing London: Despite the growing consensus that leasehold is a deeply flawed form of residential tenure, the number of leasehold homes is increasing more rapidly than at any stage since feudal times. With flats accounting for a greater proportion of new homes than ever before, leasehold properties will soon pass the 3 million mark. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 29 June 2009 / Subscribe     #297 / 22-06-09

Care home nurse denies two murder charges Glastonbury: A registered nurse has pleaded not guilty to the murder of two elderly residents of a care home in Somerset she co-ran with her husband. A third murder charge against Rachel Baker, 43, who ran Parkfields Residential Care Home in Butleigh, was dropped due to "insufficient evidence". At Bristol Crown Court, Mrs Baker also pleaded not guilty to 10 counts of possessing controlled drugs. Subscribe     #296 / 22-06-09

Gosport care home goes into administration Gosport: The owners of Acorn Lodge Care Home in Gosport have called in the administrators. Business recovery experts Begbies Traynor admit it may be tough to find a buyer. Julie Palmer from Begbies Traynor said: "We've had some expressions of interest." It is expected to take at least six months before the future of the care home, which is in Spring Garden Lane, Gosport, is known. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Subscribe     #295 / 16-06-09

1000 to attend Over 50s Housing Awards day London: Over 1000 UK care home, retirement village and home care executives are expected to congregate at the Park Lane Hotel in Mayfair, London for the inaugural UK Over 50s Housing Awards ceremony on Thursday 17 September 2009. Most interest will be on the Top 5 Most Innovative Contributors to the UK retirement village, CCRC, care home, dementia and home care sectors. Tickets to the awards ceremony lunch are available. Booking Form     #294 / 13-06-09

Ronnie Biggs to live final days in care home London: Ronnie Biggs, the Great Train robber, will be released to live out his remaining days in a care home funded by the taxpayer, it has been disclosed. Biggs could be freed as early as July 3 under plans drawn up by the probation service and health officials. The 79-year-old, who has suffered a series of strokes and can barely walk, will be given 24-hour nursing care at a home in the London borough of Barnet, where his son Michael lives.     #293 / 13-06-09

Wirral care home manager wins tribunal case Liverpool: A former Merseyside care home manager who claimed her employers had forged inspection documents has won her case for constructive dismissal. Carole Boden, a 62-year-old care manager at Polder Care homes, in Hoylake and Rock Ferry, told the tribunal in April she refused to fake a series of routine inspection documents, sparking months of bullying and humiliation. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Subscribe     #292 / 13-06-09

Sixty U.K. care home closures contemplated London: Sixty care homes in the U.K. are currently under immediate ‘closure consideration’. The care homes are linked to councils (Southampton, Hartlepool, Surrey County Council), Care Commission reports, the NHS (Northern Ireland) and major care home operators (Anchor Trust). A total of 2000 beds are involved in the 60 care homes. A new study of the status of care home beds in the UK will be released in September at Network 2009     #290 / 13-06-09

Barchester Healthcare to expand care home Peterborough: Barchester Healthcare Ltd has lodged a planning application with Peterborough City Council to enable it to add an extension to its Werrington Lodge Care Home. This is one of 20 applications which the care home sector lodges each week in the UK. Over 1000 new over 50s housing developments will be commenced in the next 12 months. A full record of all lodgments is maintained by Planning UK / Subscription     #289 / 13-06-09

Deal making team pulls out of the North Newcastle-Upon-Tyne: The private equity market is 'dying a death of a thousand cuts' the head of Deloitte's north-east deal making team said as it pulled out of the region today. Paul Kaiser, who led the Newcastle-based six-strong corporate finance department, which had helped leverage a number of mid-market deals on Teesside, said: "Leveraged buy-outs rely on access to cheap debt finance and there is none. The whole market has crashed."     #287 / 3-06-09

Owners of care home walk free from court Glasgow: The family who ran a nursing home where 14 residents died in a fire have again walked free after charges against them were dismissed. A judge yesterday threw out the case against Thomas Balmer, 61, his wife Anne, 60, and son Alan, 34, after legal arguments at the High Court in Glasgow. The decision came following a fresh attempt to prosecute the trio after a previous case against them collapsed in 2007. Subscribe     #286 / 22-05-09

Probe launched into running of care home Hartlepool: Council chiefs have launched an investigation into the running of a care home for people with mental health needs. The Hartlepool Borough Council probe into Pangbourne Residential Care Home follows visits earlier this month to the privately-run home in Park Avenue by independent assessors and council social care staff. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 25 May 2009 / Subscribe     #285 / 22-05-09

Priory Group lobbies for Four Seasons London: Private equity firm Advent International is preparing a bid for debt-laden care home operator Four Seasons. The firm has hired Close Brothers as advisers to line up a cut-price offer for the company. Advent hopes its buyout of Craegmoor Healthcare will add weight to its credentials against a potential rival offer from The Priory Group. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing WeeklyNews / Subscribe     #284 / 18-05-09

Retirement village plan under legal siege Loddon Valley: Protesters are well on the way to securing funds needed to fight developers wanting to build a mini-town in Woodley. Loddon Valley Action Group (LVAG) has raised £6,500 towards a £10,000 target for a legal team to see off Woodley Developments Ltd in its appeal to build 492 homes and a 150-unit retirement village on former landfill site, Sandford Farm. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Subscribe     #283 / 18-05-09

150 march over on-site wardens stitch-up London: Angry protesters brought traffic in Finchley to a standstill as they campaigned to keep on-site wardens. More than 150 pensioners, disabled residents and family members marched from Finchley Central tube station to Victoria Park, calling on Barnet Council bosses to rethink plans to scrap on-site wardens in sheltered housing. Around 1,200 people have also signed a petition opposing the proposals. UK Over 50s Housing Weekly/Subscribe     #282 / 18-05-09

Pensioner egged on over banking excesses Dublin: The frustration being felt by pensioner / investors in Ireland’s troubled financial industry was given dramatic expression today as an angry shareholder pelted one of the country’s most senior bankers with eggs. Dermot Gleeson, Chairman of Allied Irish Bank (AIB), ducked to avoid the missiles after addressing an emergency meeting at its headquarters in Dublin. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Subscribe     #281 / 14-05-09

More redundancies loom at Bovis Lend Lease London: Bovis Lend Lease employees are preparing for redundancies after the firm announced a major restructuring this week to take it through the "desert" of the recession. In a letter to staff, Bovis Lend Lease (BLL) Chief Executive Nick Pollard outlined a strategy to cut costs and increase profits. The restructuring will see existing divisions streamlined, BLL's procurement processes improved and new markets targeted. Mon 18 May 2009 / Subscribe     #280 / 11-05-09

Seniors reverse mortgage entity rescued Washington: Falling home prices have forced the Government to ask Congress for a $798 million taxpayer subsidy to prop up a program that lets senior citizens tap the equity in their homes. The Government said that the Federal Housing Administration needs the money to support a program that lets homeowners over 62 obtain "reverse mortgages" to borrow against their equity. Mon 18 May 2009 / Subscribe     #279 / 11-05-09

GPs criticise HSE plan for community care teams Dublin: Doctors have strongly criticised HSE plans to create a network of community-based primary care teams throughout Ireland. Speaking during a debate on the future development of primary care, Dr Mary Favier, a Cork City GP, told doctors attending its annual meeting in Galway she was part of a non- functioning primary care team. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 18 May 2009 / Subscribe     #278 / 11-05-09

Retirement village investor loses key executive London: Mike Brown, Deputy Chief Executive of Helical Bar, is to resign from the Board to become Chief Executive of Prestbury. Brown will leave and formally resign from the board following an agreed notice period. Mike Slade, Chief Executive of Helical (pictured), said "No comment". Brown's departure is a blow for Helical, where he had worked for 11 years, the last 21 months of which as Deputy Chief Executive. Mon 18 May 2009 / Subscribe     #277 / 11-05-09

Adviser sees wealthy flocking to +50s housing London: The recent poor performance of bond and equity funds has seen private clients turn their attentions to commercial property, according to wealth adviser James Higgins of Chamberlain de Broe. In particular, he expects 'assisted living' projects, in which industrial warehouses are converted to high-end sheltered retirement apartments to generate inflows. "There is a growing market for high-end retirement housing," he said. Subscribe     #276 / 8-05-09

Care homes group plan legal action over fees? London: A group of UK care home companies are planning legal action against all 150 English local authorities over fees. It is understood that 250 care home owners have come together to form the Fairer Fees Forum. The group wants a judicial review of what councils pay for residents who are funded by the state. The Forum is made up of large corporate companies and small single care homes. Mon 11 May 2009 / Subscribe     #275 / 7-05-09

Councillors want more control over care homes Middleton: Councillors have called for greater control over care homes for troubled youngsters. There are 43 such homes located across the borough that provides residential care for youngsters from across the country to help them live independently. But neighbours living close to these homes have criticised authorities for allowing them to be located in residential areas. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Subscribe     #274 / 7-05-09

Property industry lambasts the UK budget London: Two of Britain's most prominent estate agencies have joined the chorus of criticism of the Government's Budget. The head of research at Savills, Yolande Barnes, says the Chancellor’s measures aimed at improving the housing market have "neither addressed the underlying structural problems of the market nor some of the new challenges it faces in future." The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Subscribe     #272 / 23-04-09

Council decides to red card home care firm Southampton: A company brought in to provide home care in Southampton has been suspended from taking more work just months after winning the contract. Health chiefs at the city council have stopped new placements with Care UK due to concerns over the quality of care it is providing. Test MP Alan Whitehead said constituents had complained that they were receiving an “inferior” service from Care UK. Mon 27 Apr 2009 / Subscribe     #271 / 23-04-09

Care home receives £250,000 fine over death Winchmore Hill: A care home has been fined £250,000 after a resident choked to death on a sandwich. Judge Peter Ader said Robinia Care Group Limited, which ran The Chine care home in Winchmore Hill, put "profit before safety". Robinia Care Group, which runs 90 care homes across the country, pleaded guilty to three counts of failing to meet its health and safety obligations. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Subscribe     #270 / 23-04-09

Dismal data on care home closures continues London: The last residents at Cambridge's Wessex Place care home departed today. NHS Cambridgeshire and Granta Housing Society made the joint decision to close the facility. Calderdale Council is to close two dementia focused care homes, and authorities in Wirral concede dementia care home places have dropped 25 per cent in recent times. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 27 Apr 2009 / Subscribe     #269 / 22-04-09

Orchard Care plan gets parish pump support Sneyd Green: The Orchard Care plan to build a care home in Sneyd Green has driven a wedge between the arrivistes and those who have buried ten generations of their forebears in the church grounds. The battle ground is no longer dualling pistols but the letters to the editor columns of the Staffordshire press. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 27 Apr 2009 / Subscribe     #268 / 22-04-09

Third of 'junk' status firms to default, says S&P London: One in three companies with debt rated as "junk" could default on their loans by the end of next year, ratings agency Standard & Poor's said. Buy-outs, or acquisitions financed mostly with debt, are likely to be at the forefront of defaults as a shrinking economy and the increasing cost of borrowing may leave some companies unable to pay their lenders. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 27 Apr 2009 / Subscribe     #267 / 21-04-09

Property slump costs pensioners £220bn London: Pensioners have had £220bn of their wealth wiped out in the past year as a result of the housing crash, new research reveals. It shows that pensioners in England and Wales who own property have lost an average of £52,000 each. The analysis by the website propertyfinder.com shows that pensioners have been particularly hard hit. The total value of pensioner property in England and Wales has fallen to £800bn. Subscribe     #266 / 21-04-09

UK construction starts fall by 35 per cent London: The number of new construction projects in the UK has fallen 35 per cent for the same period last year according to the latest figures released by the monitoring body Glenigan. The figures reveal a huge slow-down in both non-residential and housing, falling by 39 per cent and 52 per cent respectively. The Glenigan forecast for the second quarter of 2009 remains gloomy. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Subscribe     #265 / 21-04-09

Healthcare chiefs braced for tough times Ipswich: More care could be provided in people's homes rather than hospitals as Suffolk's healthcare system gears up for tough financial times ahead, said Julian Herbert, NHS Suffolk's director of finance and performance. Mr. Herbert said NHS Suffolk was already looking at ways of cutting its budget, such as providing care in people's homes rather than in hospitals. He said that the trust was already discussing the future with partner organisations.     #264 / 21-04-09

Anger as home care company cuts wages Fife: Disgruntled employees of a company that provides home care for people across Tayside and Fife hit out at pay cuts which they claim could mean some staff will lose more than £200 per month. Carers working for Elite Care (Scotland) - which has its main office in St Andrews - have received a letter telling them their hourly rates for visits are to be reduced due to “major upheavals” in the care market. Mon 27 Apr 2009 / Subscribe     #263 / 20-04-09

Victimised health chief wins record damages Leeds: A senior NHS manager won record damages against a Yorkshire health trust which failed to appoint her to a new post because she was too old. Managers at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust were found to have behaved in a "high-handed, malicious, insulting and oppressive" manner in further victimising Linda Sturdy who was passed over in 2006 for a position in favour of a colleague 13 years her junior. Mon 20 Apr 2009 / Subscribe     #262 / 18-04-09

Equity release follows house prices down London: The equity release market has fallen 24 per cent, largely as a result of falling property values, according to new figures from Key Retirement Solutions. While the number of equity release plans taken out has fallen by a modest seven per cent, a 16 per cent drop in the value of homes being used for equity release has caused the total value to fall 24 per cent in the first quarter of 2009. Mon 20 Apr 2009 / Subscribe     #261 / 18-04-09

Villafont has care home plan rejected again ALTRINCHAM: The Chris McGoff led Villafont has failed for the second time to get its Appleton care home ambition past first base. Villafont's outline planning application has now been rejected by council and a Government planning inspector based in Bristol. The application, by the care home development tyro failed to address a raft of planning concerns. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 20 Apr 2009 / Subscribe     #260 / 16-04-09

Healthcare recruitment company losses grow London: Healthcare recruitment company Pinnacle Staffing Group Plc has announced preliminary results for full-year 2008, posting a wider loss that reflects higher expenses and a sharp decline in care home / medical revenues. Loss before taxation widened to £7.2 million from £0.63 million in the prior year. Loss for the period was £7.1 million or 8.08 pence per share, said COO and Finance Director David Hope. Subscribe     #259 / 16-04-09

Evidence suggests accelerating closure rate London: Mounting evidence suggests an acceleration to the UK care home closure rate. Heart of England Care is to shutter its Hockley home, and another council (Blackburn) is to close Brookside care home. Last week Anchor Trust disclosed it was planning to lock-up 6 properties, the 4 NHS Trusts were preparing to close 14 care homes in Northern Ireland. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 20 Apr 2009 / Subscribe     #258 / 16-04-09

Council defends its home care provider London: Council chiefs have defended the home care company at the centre of a critical TV documentary. BBC Panorama's programme investigated the activities of Care UK, which was awarded a contract to provide domiciliary care in the borough last year. The programme reveals how Care UK lost its contract with Hertfordshire County Council after they received more than 2,000 complaints about the company. Mon 20 Apr 2009 / Subscribe     #257 / 16-04-09

Study confirms rise in care home closures London: A new study on the future of the UK care home predicts that home closures will outstrip pub shut downs within 24 months. The study forms part of a workshop on new business models, which will be conducted in London on 30 April. The study contradicts the recent assertion made by William Laing, that the care home market is holding up in the recession and "There is no risk of significant numbers of home closures,". Workshop     #256 / 14-04-09

Anchor closure notice garners 5000 opponents Carlisle: Staff at a closure-threatened Whitehaven care home have collected 5,000 signatures to try and save it. Anchor Trust, which runs the Briarwood home in Mirehouse, intends to close it and move its 22 residents. Copeland MP Jamie Reed has branded their actions as callous and has joined a fight to save the home. He has written to the trust but it has not yet answered to the satisfaction of him or other concerned parties. Subscribe     #255 / 14-04-09

Bovis Lend Lease in surprise asset sell down London: Bovis Lend Lease has surprisingly offloaded a £32m half share in a CBD office tower in a fire sale, that also brutalised the buildings co-owner, the now collapsed Record Realty. Lend Lease has also shed over £50m in 6 months over its ill timed foray into the retirement village / aged care sector in Australia / New Zealand. (ASX:LLP) The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 20 Apr 2009 / Subscribe     #254 / 14-04-09

£38m earmarked for six new 'super' care homes Edinburgh: NHS Lothian and the local council have earmarked £38m for six new 'super' care homes despite acknowledging that more emphasis, and a growing percentage of its funds are now being spent on supporting people to live in their own homes. Within four years, additional home support service is budgeted to grow to £4.5m per annum. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Subscribe     #253 / 14-04-09

Irish nursing home tax breaks abandonned Dublin: Some of Ireland's leading business figures have ploughed tens of millions of euro into private healthcare / nursing home institutions over the past number of years because of generous tax breaks that were almost completely abolished in today's Irish budget. Schemes for palliative care units, hospices and end of life homes remain in place. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 13 Apr 2009 / Subscribe     #252 / 8-04-09

Deutsche Bank to advise on Four Seasons sale London: British care-home operator Four Seasons Health Care said it has appointed Deutsche Bank as financial adviser, in a move that may lead to the company's sale. Deutsche will "assist the group to explore options" to cope with its capital structure problems, said Four Seasons, which was bought by the Qatar Investment Authority in 2006, via an investment vehicle managed by Three Delta. Mon 13 Apr 2009 / Subscribe     #251 / 7-04-09

Cumbrian care home to hike prices 23 per cent Carlisle: Residential costs for hundreds of elderly people in Cumbrian care homes will rise 23 per cent as social care chiefs are ordered to apply 60-year-old laws. Cumbria County Council has come under pressure to recoup the full cost of residential care from those with more than £22,250 in assets. After an Audit Commission inspection last year, it was told to act on government legislation passed in 1948. Mon 13 Apr 2009 / Subscribe     #250 / 7-04-09

Broker paints healthcare stocks as cheap London: The Motley Fool website is spruiking Claimar Group shares as 'so cheap, they're nearly giving them away'. But there's a very good reason why this small cap stock is languishing. It is laden with bank debt (£20.1m), new home care models threaten to compete, margins are razor thin and council contracts are heavily contested. Claimar's house broker is Arden Partners. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News. Subscribe     #249 / 7-04-09

Catering company to clean up in healthcare Woking: ISS Mediclean has now overtaken Compass and Sodexo in the healthcare sector says managing director Simon Cox. The Danish company now has 15 PFI contractors in healthcare. “We are offering cooking on site,” said Simon Cox. ISS Mediclean healthcare has a £300m turnover, 6.6 per cent profit margin and 14,500 employees. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 13 Apr 2009 / Subscribe     #248 / 7-04-09

Vulture funds start to eye off care homes London: Two funds are currently accumulating cash for a tilt at the swag of care homes which are expected to flood the UK market in 2009-2010. "The starting point is banks and financiers who now acknowledge the need for partners," said Chris Bartram of Orchard Street Investment Management. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 13 Apr 2009 / Subscribe     #247 / 6-04-09

Man collars minister on visit to retiree complex Doncaster: Former housing minister Caroline Flint was collared for a complaint when she visited a Doncaster social housing scheme. Ms. Flint was visiting the £4.5 million retirement community facility with local councillors Sandra Holland and Chris Mills. It was built as part of the Government's Pathfinder scheme in partnership with the Chevin Housing Group. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News. Subscribe     #246 / 6-04-09

Healthcare / over 60s housing to be Govt. focus? London: The Government must prioritise innovative companies and sectors over declining industries in this month's budget, the regional development agencies said last Friday. Delivering the keynote speech at Regeneration & Renewal's national conference in Birmingham, Richard Ellis said that ministers "need to focus limited resources on creating the conditions in which innovative communities, companies and sectors can flourish."     #245 / 6-04-09

Care home to form part of Maldon scheme Maldon: A masterplan for development in Maldon has just been submitted to the council. The potential development includes, a park and ride scheme with 200 spaces, a new hospital and medical centre with 175 spaces, 200 homes, an extra care home, a vocational college or similar facility, 250,000 sq ft of employment land, a retail park and a hotel. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 6 Apr 2009 / Subscribe     #244 / 2-04-09

Care home director cops 9 years in sin bin London: A former director of the Absolute Care Group has been banned for 9 years for actions which include dishonesty and failing to keep proper accounting records following an investigation by Companies Investigation Branch (CIB) of the Insolvency Service. Carl Richard Hughes was a director and the controlling shareholder of the Absolute Care Group of companies that operated some 21 care homes in the UK. Mon 6 Apr 2009 / Subscribe     #243 / 1-04-09

Retiree homes report based on false premise London: Banning second home owners and retirees from buying in rural areas would not provide more affordable homes to locals, the Government says. “There are more innovative ways of providing assistance without interfering with the legitimate right to own more than one home", it added. Liberal Democrat MP Matthew Taylor had called for a selective ban on the purchase of second homes in the UK. Subscribe     #242 / 31-03-09

Boutique over 60s apartments better option Felixstowe: The closed hotels of Felixstowe would find a profitable new home by being recycled into ‘boutique apartments for the over 60s market’ says Esmonde Crawley, Editor of the UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News. “The McCarthy + Stone plan is bland, soulless and unsaleable”, says Mr. Crawley. “It is not a coincidence it is in financial strife.” The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 6 Apr 2009 / Subscribe     #241 / 31-03-09

Council to say no to over 50s housing plan? Cockermouth: The Allerdale Council's development panel looks set to follow the town council decision and refuse affordable housing group Home's request to knock down Manor Court flats and other homes in Cockermouth. Home wants to erect Government Decent Home Standards (GDHS) residential buildings for the over 55s market. The full story in Planning UK / Mon 6 Apr 2009 / Subscribe / Planning UK     #240 / 30-03-09

Leda fights to retain land for care home project Devizes: Kennet District Council wants the former Bureau West site to be retained for offices. A planning inquiry was held this week into an appeal against the council’s refusal to grant permission for developer Leda Properties to build 172 houses, a care home and light industrial buildings and offices on the 14 acre site. Kennet Council wants the site to remain allocated for employment use. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News. Subscribe     #239 / 30-03-09

Retirement village sales levels collapse London: Empirical evidence of massive falls in sales in the retirement village / continuous care retirement communities sector is emerging on a daily basis. Excel Securities, which is planning 36 retirement homes near Ayton, has attracted two viewings in 6 months and zero sales. A major shareholding in developer Audley Court has also been sold to property investment company Moorfield. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News. Subscribe     #238 / 30-03-09

Care group poised on financial knife edge Bath: Spiraling costs have led to the closure of a Bath care home and left the organization which runs it and two sister properties "on a financial knife edge”. Up to 19 pensioners will be forced to find a new home after Bath Centre for Voluntary Services (BCVS) took the decision to close Henrietta House today. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 6 Apr 2009 / Subscribe     #237 / 30-03-09

Eatonfield scheme set to get go-ahead Moss Bay: Plans for a £100 million seaside community at Workington's Moss Bay look likely to win council approval this week. Allerdale Borough Council will consider Eatonfield Developments' application for the former Corus site tomorrow. A retirement village and care facility are included in the plan for the 87 acre site. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 6 Apr 2009 / Subscribe     #236 / 30-03-09

Welsh manor house to become OAP flats? Haverfordwest: Property development company Brimaston Ltd has sold its £1.5m rural Carmarthensire "Scottish Baronial" estate. It is understood the new owner intends to convert it into pensioners flats. The 100 acre estate includes the Grade II listed main mansion, a staff/domestic wing, a Neo-Tudor stable block and a lodge. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 30 Mar 2009 / Subscribe     #235 / 27-03-09

Council consents to straw homes being built Todmorden: A Lincolnshire council has been granted planning permission to build two semi-detached, affordable homes made from straw. North Kesteven District Council claims to be the first UK local authority to use straw technology for its housing. The two homes, which will cost £110,000 each to construct, will be built at West Grove in Martin. The houses will be built using straw bales and the walls will be plastered with lime.     #234 / 27-03-09

Plymouth waterfront tower targets over 60s Plymouth: The Cornwall-based Rowe Group is seeking planning permission for 179 flats at Shepherds Wharf at Sutton Harbour. The £55m project will target the over 60s housing market. The scheme's approval is dependent on getting the planning committee to accede to departmental advice and agree to a reduced developer contribution (£1.1m) for its affordable housing obligations. Subscribe     #233 / 26-03-09

MHA Care Group in planning fire storm Dore: Angry Dore villagers want MHA Care Group forced to demolish its Fairthorn retirement apartment complex because the four storey block has been built "significantly higher" than the approved plan. Neighbours are complaining about the loss of their view. MHA Care has responded by lodging a new planning application seeking retrospective consent for the illegal building. Subscribe     #232 / 26-03-09

Retiree village manager looking for funds London: The UK/Australian retirement village developer/manager Stockland (ASX:SGP) is rumoured to be looking at the possibility of its second capital raising in three months. Stockland raised A$300m late in 2008. Credit Suisse's property team says Stockland is likely to raise more equity if it chooses to make a play for the GPT Property Group. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 30 Mar 2009 / Subscribe     #231 / 26-03-09

Anchor Trust starts care home closure plan? London: England's largest not-for-profit provider of support, care and housing for over 55s, has kick started its care home closure strategy. Whitehaven's Briarwood nursing home is to close in June. Another 5 care homes will be shuttered in 2009. Anchor Trust has also been encountering 'operational difficulties' with its Islington Council care home contract. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 30 Mar 2009 / Subscribe     #230 / 25-03-09

Hanover moves to stymie operational losses Staines: The Hanover Housing Group is seeking to obviate its operational losses at a number of its managed schemes throughout the U.K. Residents are tending to opt out of "overnight sleep in and lunch services" rather than have to pay a stipend to cover the escalating costs, confirmed Hanover's media relations officer Rob Ghosh yesterday. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 30 Mar 2009 / Subscribe     #229 / 25-03-09

Retirement Village group failed to flower London: Developer Audley Court Limited has announced its acquisition by the property investment company Moorfield Group. The 75% share holding will support Audley's future funding requirements. Audley Court has a number of villages at different stages of development throughout the UK with existing complexes in Kent, Derbyshire and Devon and sites currently awaiting planning permission. Subscribe     #228 / 24-03-09

Four Seasons appoints bank to oversee sale London: Four Seasons Healthcare is expected to appoint Deutsche Bank to set up the sale of the care home group. The creditors which include Royal Bank of Scotland, Marathon Asset Management Capital and Morgan Stanley, have been in talks to restructure the company's £1.5 billion debt. In October 2008 they came to a temporary 'standstill' agreement with the 400-home group which expires in May. Subscribe     #227 / 24-03-09

Students to design UK care home of future? London: DWA Architects and the RIBA have launched a competition for architectural students to design a care home of the future. Students have been encouraged to enter 'Caring for Older People', a design competition supported by care home operator Bupa Care Services. Competitors have been asked to address integration with the community, improving visitor numbers, conserving energy and creating the best resident layout. Subscribe     #226 / 11-03-09

New Irish nursing home standards finalised Dublin: New care standards for Irish nursing homes will end the use of open wards and introduce individual care plans. A total of 32 care standards have been finalised which will be enforced by a team of almost 50 inspectors from the Health Information Quality Authority (HIQA) from July onwards. Now both public and private nursing homes will be subject to inspections by an independent authority. Subscribe     #225 / 10-03-09

Housing developers need new business models London: UK retirement housing developers can no longer rely on existing housing equity to underpin sales of new homes to the over 50s sector. The UK property market crash has leeched a significant equity percentage. The swiftness of the decline has contributed to the sales paralysis. This workshop will focus on new business models which can grow in the post credit crunch world. Workshop     #224 / 9-03-09

Mining firm to kick-start pit housing plan Ellington: Britain's biggest mining company will this week attempt to kick-start a proposed £25m masterplan near the site of the region's last deep pit. Later this week, UK Coal will apply to Castle Morpeth Council for up to 300 houses in Ellington, as part of a 'network village' project which also includes live/work units, new offices and retiree community facilities, and a football pitch. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News Subscribe     #223 / 9-03-09

UK over 50s market splinters into 100 niches London: A workshop/seminar set down for London on Thursday 30 April 2009 will analyze the rapidly changing landscape in the over 50s housing sector in the UK. The 30 year traditional pipelines are fragmenting as the over 50s chase new housing outcomes. The workshop will canvass the forms of housing, locations, inclusions, sub markets, and how to connect and pre-sell to maximise profits. Workshop     #222 / 9-03-09

Care home charges to go up by 33 per cent Inverness: Care charges for residents in homes in the north-east are to go up by 33%. In one case the weekly fee will move from around £370 a week to £500. The rise has provoked outrage in Alnesss, Daviot, Ellon, Fraserburgh, Inverness, Kemnay, Nairn and Peterhead. The price rise was implemented after a recommendation by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, which calculated that the weekly cost for an individual client was £677. Subscribe     #221 / 9-03-09

Developers need to invent new housing models London: A UK developer has not sold a purpose built dwelling from its specialty retirement homes division for 3 months. Yet it sold out a 45 apartment complex on the water on the Isle of Wight in 3 months at full price. Each apartment came with a boat berth, and every purchaser was over 60. Yet the developer still cannot see or understand the Solent success, and remains fixated by the failure of his retirement division. Workshop     #220 / 9-03-09

Care home plan for Spalding pub site Spalding: One of Spalding's most significant development sites - the controversial Bull and Monkey pub - could be turned into a care home. Pre-application sketches for the Churchgate site have been received by Spalding and District Civic Society but no formal applications have yet been submitted to planners. Crispen Holdings could not be contacted for comment and no-one at RDT Designs was available. Subscribe     #219 / 6-03-09

Housing associations may stop building London: Housing associations need to develop new business models or give up and let councils recover the reins of social housing development, the chief executive of L&Q Group said today. David Montague told the Chartered Institute of Housing's conference that associations had become dependent on property sales in a booming market to drive down the cost of social housing. That model has been wrecked by the property collapse. Subscribe     #218 / 5-03-09

Care homes need new markets to grow London: Care homes will increasingly have to find new specialist markets if they are to survive. The trend toward the apartment for life, the growth of Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs) and better home help from hotel service entities, when meshed with the desire to stay at home, will cut large chunks out of the care home business. Twenty new business opportunities will be covered in the upcoming seminar. Trends     #217 / 5-03-09

Mike Slade takes a partner in village deal Milton: Mike Slade's Helical Bar and Urban Renaissance Villages have secured planning permission for a 101-homes retirement village in Cambridgeshire. The joint venture partners were given permission by South Cambridgeshire District Council for the development on a redundant employment site in the Green Belt at Milton. The Government Office for the East of England has confirmed it will not call in the application. Subscribe     #216 / 5-03-09

Court finds care home breached safety rules Enfield: A manager at a private care home where an autistic man choked to death on a sandwich has breached health and safety law, a court has found. Robinia Care Group pleaded guilty to three counts. The case has been adjourned until April for sentencing. The care home has since been closed. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Monday 9 March 2009 / Subscribe     #215 / 5-03-09

MPs want investigation of care home giant London: Some care home residents were allegedly left without hot running water for almost a month in a County Durham facility. Southern Cross Healthcare is facing demands by MPs for an investigation into standards at the 700 homes it operates across the UK. The company is now facing further criticism for failing to fix a boiler at its Rose Lodge facility in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham. Subscribe     #214 / 5-03-09

Developers need to fill up projects faster London: UK developers of care villages, CCRCs and retirement housing are accepting 'sell down' periods of up to five years to fill new projects. The delays are significantly diminishing margins and eroding profits. Sales programmes, marketing techniques, design elements, positioning and imaging methodologies all exist which would ensure most of the 190 new projects in 2008 would be 90% full within 6-12 months. Workshop     #213 / 4-03-09

Sunrise may have to file for bankruptcy Maclean: Sunrise Senior Living Inc may have to reorganize under bankruptcy protection if it cannot reach agreements with lenders to restructure debt, the company said in a regulatory filing. It has sufficient cash balances to meet obligations until March 31. Sunrise said in the filing that the economic downturn had caused its stock price to decline, and that credit was tight. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News. Subscribe     #212 / 3-03-09

Southern X continues reputation shredding Darlington: The Commission for Social Care Inspection is investigating the death of half the residents (in a 16 day period) at Southern Cross Healthcare's (SX) Harwell care home in Oxfordshire. A resident allegedly froze to death in another SX home 14 days ago. SX was also fined £80,000 (plus costs of £120,000) after admitting OHS breaches in court in January, in relation to another residents death. Subscribe     #211 / 3-03-09

Four Seasons bolster its Ireland holdings Belfast: Up to 150 jobs are to be created across Northern Ireland, the largest private provider of residential care in the region announced today. Limavady, which has been battered by a wave of redundancies, will receive a jobs boost of 70 posts with the opening of Rush Hall Care Home in Co Londonderry. The project has been developed by Four Seasons Health Care. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 9 Mar 2009 / Subscribe     #210 / 2-03-09

Hunter drops £30m over McCarthy & Stone Glasgow: Sir Tom Hunter's crown as Scotland's richest man lost a little more shine yesterday as his stake in retirement house builder McCarthy & Stone was wiped out by its lenders, who took control of the company. Hunter put up 8% of the equity in a £1.1bn deal to buy M+S in late 2006. "We have now written off the stake," a spokesman for West Coast Capital said. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 9 Mar 2009 / Subscribe     #209 / 2-03-09

Enara Group closes two new bolt-on deals London: August Equity-backed Enara Group, a provider of private and social services-based home care in London and the home counties, has acquired County Care and certain assets from The Home Service Group. The terms of the deal remain undisclosed. The deal marks the next stage in the buy-and-build strategy of the group, which was bought out by August Equity in November. See UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 9 Mar 2009 / Subscribe     #208 / 2-03-09

Darling launches lender to save building deals London: Alistair Darling will tomorrow launch a new infrastructure bank to deliver scores of delayed building projects starved of finance. The government will be hoping the new bank will give the go-ahead to long-delayed schemes as well as over 50s housing projects and hospital PFIs. The chancellor's new bank will be capitalised with several billion pounds. See UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 9 Mar 2009 / Subscribe     #207 / 2-03-09

McCarthy & Stone cuts deal with its lenders London: A deal has finally been struck that will see ownership of McCarthy & Stone transferred to its lending banks in a debt for equity swap. Following an agreement between the company and its lenders, lawyers have sent out lock-up agreements to the 60 creditors which stop them trading in debt. The court process should complete by the end of April. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 23 Feb 2009 / Subscribe     #206 / 19-02-09

McCarthy + Stone slashes council cash promise Littlehampton: Plummeting property values have led to developers slashing the cash they provide for "affordable" housing in and around Littlehampton. M+S agreed last year to pay Arun District Council almost £1m for low-cost homes, as a condition of planning permission for 56 "extra care" flats in Church Street/Fitzalan Road, Littlehampton. But M+S is now offering just £180,000, to build 60 flats on the same site. Subscribe     #205 / 18-02-09

Receiver appointed to retiree village project Cavan, Co. Cavan: Desmond Murtagh Construction is behind the 70-unit retirement village development in Cavan town. However, his bank ACC has taken control of the company's stock, and appointed a receiver over the retirement village development. An adjoining nursing home is not in receivership. The receiver is Kieran Wallace of KPMG. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 23 Feb 2009 / Subscribe     #204 / 18-02-09

Spencer McCarthy in bid for McCarthy + Stone London: The family that founded care home company McCarthy & Stone could make a third attempt to buy back the debt-laden company. Spencer McCarthy, who runs Churchill Retirement Living with his brother Clinton, has reportedly welcomed the structure of a debt-for-equity swap at the company their father co-founded, indicating that they may make another bid in the near future. Subscribe     #203 / 18-02-09

Cinven Group set to acquire Just Retirement? London: Private equity group Cinven is believed to be leading the contest to buy Just Retirement, the AIM-listed insurer. Rival private equity firms Texas Pacific and General Atlantic are also thought to be bidding. Cinven already owns another insurer, Partnership Assurance. The £300m asking price for Just Retirement has dropped since November. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Mon 23 Feb 2009 / Subscribe     #202 / 16-02-09

Southern Cross Healthcare in re-invention bid Darlington: Southern Cross Healthcare (SCH) has appointed 26 Search to create a campaign that will boost the organisation's online brand visibility to match its offline presence. The project will have 5 target markets including users, new business, investor relations, careers, and press. But SCH should first fix up its OHS issues, balance sheet problems, executive rewards programme and its shareholder returns. Subscribe     #201 / 16-02-09

Staff need basic skills before employment Worcester: Craegmoor Healthcare has signed up to a Government initiative that will see over 6000 of its employees given the opportunity to develop their skill level to the equivalent to five good GCSEs, including literacy and numeracy. But no one should be employed in the first place without core working skills. It is not the job of an employer to teach basic literacy and arithmetic. That's the schools job. Subscribe     #200 / 16-02-09

Barchester gets positive ratings affirmation London: Barchester Healthcare has received the highest financial ratings of any of the top 20 UK care home borrowers. Fitch Ratings has published its adjudication on Epic (Barchester) PLC's A, B, C, D, and E floating rate notes. Barchester securitises its care home operational leases via an "opco/propco" structure. The legal final maturity of all the rated notes is 30 Sep 2031. Barchester loan to value ratio is at 50%. Subscribe     #199 / 16-02-09

Shopping mall needs offices / housing to grow London: The regional enclosed shopping mall needs to become a community centre with day care facilities, a seniors hotel, offices and multi generational residential components above and surrounding the complex if it is to prosper and grow. The mortgage meltdown, shifting demographics and a growing antipathy towards suburban sprawl is finally triggering a move towards Austrian born Victor Gruen's original mall concept. Trends     #198 / 13-02-09

Dutch claim small-scale aged care home better Amsterdam: A study conducted by the left wing Dutch Daily De Volkskrant shows elderly people no longer able to live independently do better when placed in smaller (less than 30 residents) residential care units. De Volkskrant based its conclusions on an analysis of 1400 surveys supplied to the Netherlands Public Health Ministry. The best nursing home is De Naber in Rotterdam. Trends     #197 / 13-02-09

Southern Cross to face another OHS charge? Reading: Rosetta Maslen died last Friday at the height of the freezing weather. Police have been notified of claims that the heating was apparently not working and the residents were being left in the cold. The care home is owned by Southern Cross Healthcare, which last month was fined £200,000 after an elderly resident fell to her death from a window at one of its residential care centres.     #196 / 12-02-09

Care UK says its financial results on target London: Health and social care provider Care UK said results for the full year are in line with company forecasts after good progress in the first four months of the financial year. The Health Care business is ahead of the prior year and is exceeding group expectations. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Monday 16 February 2009 / Subscribe     #195 / 12-02-09

Four Seasons restructuring deadline moved up London: The deadline for restructuring Four Seasons Health Care's £1.5 billion debt pile has been brought forward after the UK care home operator's junior lenders flexed their muscle and forced the standstill agreement to be shortened by almost two months to May 5, people familiar with the matter said earlier today. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Monday 16 February 2009 / Subscribe     #194 / 12-02-09

New housing models need to emerge: Hanover Staines: Housing professionals Sue Ramsden (Policy Leader for Care and Support at the National Housing Federation) and Bruce Moore (Chief Executive of the Hanover Group) predict a variety of models will emerge in the UK to appeal to the over 60s. "Some may have social tenants living alongside private owners or leaseholders accessing different levels of care and support", said Ms. Ramsden. Trends     #193 / 12-02-09

Radical techniques needed to rejuvenate sales Painswick: Richmond Village in Painswick has started offering a free week's stay at its Gloucestershire Continuous Care Retirement Community in an effort to stimulate sales. The technique, whilst meritorious, does not go far enough to induce a quantum sales uplift. There are a dozen techniques to facilitate sales in the current UK environment which will be canvassed in an upcoming series of Workshop     #192 / 12-02-09

Sheltered housing needs to be reinvented Staines: "The sheltered housing model needs to be reinvented", says Bruce Moore, Chief Executive of the Hanover Group. "It is an effective model with tremendous potential", he added. "Whilst the UK Government's Lifetime Homes is a forward looking document, it fails to promote traditional sheltered housing models or throw the spotlight on extra care developments where on site support is available in village communities. Trends     #191 / 12-02-09

Funding retirement tougher in credit crunch London: The 68 percent of over 65s who own their own homes have had their retirement plans torpedoed by the twin attacks on property values and retirement savings. Whilst the over 65s are not wiped out, the dent to their net worth has however precluded them from access to assisted living / CCRC / retirement community options. The fallout will result in a boost to Homecare. Trends     #190 / 12-02-09

Executive Care Group eyeing China play? Darlington: George Houghton's Executive Care Nursing Home Group is eyeing a China nursing care home play. "I work in China a lot; they're very busy with healthcare there; there are no institutions; they want five-star for old people. 130 million of them over 65, that's why I'm in China." said Mr. Houghton. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Monday 16 February 2009 / Subscribe     #189 / 10-02-09

Shareholder activists take on Southern Cross Darlington: Shareholder activist group Pirc is recommending that Southern Cross investors vote against the remuneration report because the company rewarded finance director Richard Midmer with a £385,000 bonus for negotiating a debt restructuring package with the company's lenders. The deal has since triggered balance sheet losses. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Monday 16 February 2009 / Subscribe     #188 / 10-02-09

Care Minister vows to end postcode lottery? London: Councils will be told to provide care for more vulnerable residents in an attempt by Ministers to end a "postcode lottery" of support. The Government is to issue revised guidance this spring telling town halls they should make England's care system fairer. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Monday 16 February 2009 / Subscribe     #187 / 10-02-09

Symponia cuts deal with live-in care entity Nuneaton: Symponia, the financial advice specialist network for the over 65s, has cut a deal with Helping Hands Homecare. The two companies aim to promote care at home, said Janet Davies, joint founder and managing director of Symponia, "The funding of live-in care opens a new income stream" added Ms. Davies. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Monday 16 February 2009 / Subscribe     #186 / 10-02-09

UK Government targets retirement operators London: The Office of Fair Trading is targeting the owners and operators of care homes and retirement villages that are being funded by exit premiums payable on unit resale, said Tessa Naylor, a partner in West End law firm, Seddons. McCarthy & Stone is the latest entity to be caught up in the Office of Fair Trading campaign. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Monday 22 December 2008 / Subscribe     #185 / 10-02-09

Use bank buildings as nursing homes says CEO Dublin: Chief Executive Officer of Charter Medical Group, Dave Shanahan, says the Irish government could use assets now acquired through Anglo Irish Bank to house hospitals and care homes and postpone capital developments under the NDP. Dole payments, he added, should be for carers he told a PMI symposium. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Monday 9 February 2009 / Subscribe     #184 / 9-02-09

Retiree village project gets cash injection London: A retirement village project has been kept afloat when directors of property and contracting group Speymill pumped £3.3m in additional working capital into Speymill Contracts. CEO Jim Mellon coughed up £3m. Speymill Contracts has been hit by the collapse of several clients and subcontractors. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Monday 9 February 2009 / Subscribe     #183 / 9-02-09

Shaw Healthcare culls phalanx of executives Cardiff: The business plan of Shaw Healthcare group is in tatters. The credit crunch has beached its ambitions and it is fighting for survival in its current form. Last Friday a scythe cut down a phalanx of senior executives which included those responsible for spudding in Extracare / Retirement housing projects. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Monday 9 February 2009 / Subscribe     #182 / 9-02-09

£150m raised for retirement village deal Sydney: Lend Lease has placed 50m new shares at A$6.90. Managing director Greg Clarke said the new equity would strengthen Lend Lease's balance sheet after its recent A$240 million investment in Lend Lease Primelife, a retirement homes, aged care housing and seniors accommodation provider. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Monday 9 February 2009 / Subscribe     #181 / 9-02-09

Enara expands with 2 home care acquisitions London: Home care company Enara has bought two businesses, Companions Care and Freshford, for an undisclosed sum as part of its buy-and-build strategy. Both businesses provide domiciliary care for the elderly for local authorities and private individuals in East Sussex, said Enara CEO Stephen Booty. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Monday 9 February 2009 / Subscribe     #180 / 9-02-09

New era of frugality to impact on housing London: The credit crunch and the resultant asset value wipe out has triggered two significant social changes. The over 50s generation has put off retirement indefinitely and there is a return to frugalism. The economic meltdown has sped up an over 50s trend to re-evaluate attitudes to consumerism. Over 50s are seeking a return to the simple life and a renewed emphasis on wellness. Trends     #179 / 7-02-09

Care home values fall 37.7 per cent in 2008 London: UK care home values have fallen 37.7 per cent since the market peaked in 2007. The quantum of the fall is supported by Knight Frank's November 2008 revaluation of the Four Season Health Care Ltd portfolio. The 37.5 per cent drop was reaffirmed by Gareth Morgan of Dudley based consultancy Cavendish Tate. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Monday 9 February 2009 / Subscribe     #178 / 6-02-09

Care home model flawed says industry valuer Dudley: Gareth Morgan of Dudley-based consultancy Cavendish Tate claims that the buy and build approach adopted by the major nursing care homes consolidators is flawed. "The major players are increasingly being caught in a poverty cycle," said Esmonde Crawley, editor of UK Over 50s Housing Weekly. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Monday 9 February 2009 / Subscribe     #177 / 6-02-09

Ageing priests emerge as niche housing market Kampala: A new housing complex for ageing clerics has opened in Kampala in Uganda. The Nasambya Priests Centre has been created in the Morning Star Covent compound. It was opened by Emmanuel Cardinal Wamala. The housing trend follows a plan by a Canadian developer to seed a 1500 person retirement village with an "Oxford Cloisters" core for retired religious of all denominations.Trends     #176 / 4-02-09

Credit crunch kills off boomer retiree plans London: The credit crunch has killed off retirement plans for the boomer generation. Whilst significant numbers of boomers never intended retiring, the option always offered choice. The collapse of the housing market, coupled with a 40 per cent reversal in stock market values, will trigger significant social change. The developers of age apartheid estates, already in trouble with falling sales, will be finished as boomers 'stay put'. Trends     #175 / 4-02-09

Prince Charles behind care home applications Newquay: The Duchy of Cornwall is behind an application to Restormel Borough Council to be allowed to build 200 homes on land at Trequnnel Hill, and 500 homes and two care homes on land off Quintrell Road in Newquay in Cornwall. The Council's Development Control Committee is considering the application. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Monday 9 February 2009 / Subscribe     #174 / 3-02-09

ADL still to complete refinancing care homes London: Listed Healthcare Group ADL is still to report on the progress of talks to refinance the care home business. The company's shares have been coming under pressure because of a dearth of information, low profitability, and the fall out from aborted court action triggered by the Commission for Social Care Inspection. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Monday 9 February 2009 / Subscribe     #173 / 3-02-09

Sean Dunne to build Dublin retirement village Dublin: The Carlow-born developer will find out next month if his proposed retirement village of 100 units at Stocking Lane in Rathfarnham will be given the go-ahead by An Bord Pleanala. He was recently refused permission for a € 1b shopping centre on an 80 acre Greystones site. The full story in UK Over 50s Housing Weekly News / Monday 9 February 2009 / Subscribe     #172 / 3-02-09

Over 50s being targeted without ageism tag St. Mary's Island: Retirement housing providers are coming under competitive fire from developers who target the over 50s but do not badge or theme their projects with an ageism epithet. Countryside Marine, a joint venture between South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) and Countryside Properties, has crafted Kentish fishermen's lofts on St. Mary's Island, Chatham. Over 50s are the majority of the buyers. Trends     #171 / 15-08-08

CCRC concept stumbling block for planners London: Continuous Care Retirement Communities (CCRC) remain a block for most council planning officers. 15 proposed projects around the UK have been held up because planners have had trouble getting their collective heads around the independent living/assisted living/care home/single campus model. Nine operators are considering forming their own association to improve understanding of the concept. Trends     #170 / 15-08-08

Over 50s trigger boom in country lettings Staplehurst, Kent: As the credit crunch continues to adversely impact on the housing market, demand for country lettings is booming. This has been bolstered by the current relationship between sale prices and rents which means you can live in the same property for much less than you would have to pay out in monthly mortgage payments. The trend is simply a revision to a commonplace 19th century practice. Trends     #169 / 15-08-08

Tax breaks drive hoteliers into care homes Dublin: A growing number of Irish hoteliers are transforming their properties into nursing homes. "The Irish hotel market is in a steep decline and alluring tax breaks in the care industry beckon." said Weldon Mather, managing director of hotel advisory agency W M Consultancy. "It is particularly common when the hotel is still in the construction stage and the building can be more readily modified," he added. Trends     #168 / 6-08-08

Chai Patel to speak at networking conference London: The serial healthcare entrepreneur is launching a comeback via an acquisition vehicle called Court Cavendish to take advantage of opportunities in this sector. He is in the process of acquiring Care Management Group (700 beds) and scouring the healthcare landscape for deals for his new private equity vehicle called Elysian. Chai Patel will join Mike Parsons (CEO Barchester Care) and 24 other speakers / panelists . Networking Conference     #167 / 4-08-08

Over 50s tending to embrace spiritual housing Painswick: Over 50s tend to be more spiritual, contemplative, thoughtful and meditative. There is a growing market for housing which reflects and encourages this ethos. The Bristol based PG Group is developing retirement flats in Prinknash Abbey near Painswick. The dwindling population of Benedictine monks will be re-housed elsewhere on the estate. The chairman of the PG Group is a Roman Catholic priest. Trends     #166 / 2-07-08

CCRC's start to emerge in the UK market London: Continuous Care Retirement Communities (CCRC) are starting to emerge in the UK housing market. The 'Last Move' trend appeals mostly to an 80 year old veteran who is buying a guarantee to be looked after for the rest of his life, regadless of health / spouse needs. UK exponents of this form of housing include Andover based Appleshaw Group and Cliff Cook's Renaissance Lifecare organisation. Trends     #165 / 2-07-08

Over 50s locked and bolted in security blanket London: The imported USA idea of a gated estate exclusively for people over a certain age is slowly gaining traction in the UK. The basic model provide bungalows and apartments built around communal facilities. "The average age of entry is 70", says Jon Gooding, Chief Executive of developer Retirement Villages. Retirement Villages is currently planning three gated communities in the U.K. Trends     #164 / 2-07-08

QUB research to build better homes for aged? Belfast: Research carried out for the Changing Ageing Partnership (CAP) has found that those who design and plan sheltered accommodation in Northern Ireland could do more to meet the needs of residents. The research, entitled 'Better Housing for the Ageing Population in Northern Ireland', was conducted by Dr Karim Hadjri from the School of Planning, Architecture and Civil Engineering at Queen's University. Trends     #163 / 26-05-08

Over 50s desire return to garden cities Cardiff: Garden villages, which provided idyllic living conditions in the early 20th century,will become the model for property developments. Planning experts believe that concerns over sustainability, energy prices and climate change, coupled with a shortage of affordable housing and attractive retiree homes, will provide the right conditions for garden communities like Rhiwbina, Ebbw Vale and Cwmbarn to flower again. Marketing History     #162 / 26-05-08

Office/apartments appeal to +60s non retirees London: Berkeley Homes (Urban Living) Ltd is one of the first UK companies to recognise the no retirement trend amongst the over 60s. It is creating purpose built office / apartments in Acton. The Courtyard Apartments is a collection of 15 live / work units which separate work (own access door, ensuite bathroom, private patio) from the living quarters Trends     #161 / 26-05-08

Over 50s green village to last for 500 years? New York: A new village design paradigm obviates the focus on cars and what people make, sell or buy. Instead there is a focus on sustainable livability. It is built on permanent infrastructure which is planned and financed for the long term, and interwoven with technical systems and farmland. It is the first comprehensive attempt to invent a town for today. Trends     #160 / 26-05-08

UK needs to market to offset loss of 1.8m Britons London: The latest NatWest International survey predicts 1.8 million Britons will retire abroad by 2025 and 3.3 million by 2050. The survey provides further evidence that the majority of those making the lifestyle change do not look back. Nine in 10 expats said they enjoyed a better quality of life and six in 10 said they did not intend to return to the UK. Marketing History     #159 / 6-05-08

Intelligent house for care at home launched West Bromwich: An intelligent house designed for sustainable and assisted living for the elderly has been launched in West Bromwich by Medilink West Midlands. Built on the principles of cost-efficiency and sustainability, the i-House includes specialist insulation and ventilation, automated lighting and heating, keyless entry with widened doorways, scald-free taps and a master control computer to monitor the wellbeing of the resident. Trends     #158 / 5-05-08

Over 50s flats to be build above shopping malls Auckland, N.Z.: Two over 50s apartment developments are proposed on top of shopping malls in New Zealand. The NZ Property Retail Group is in consultation with North Shore City Council over two 200 unit apartment towers above the Highbury and Milford shopping malls. The apartments willl be a mix of retirement homes and serviced apartments. Trends     #157 / 2-05-08

Over 50s UK housing marketing co-op planned London: Up to 30 UK based developers of over 50s housing linked to manor houses, estates, grade 1 and 2 listed buildings and historic sites have been invited to a July briefing. A joint marketing initiative has been proposed to target enclaves in the USA, Canada, Australia, N.Z. and South Africa. The"English Experience" is proving to be a strong emotional/cultural motivator for UK property purchasers. (Invitation to attend)     #156 / 1-05-08

New entrant to launch hotel spa resort product Congleton: A UK developer is to launch a series of hotel spa resort developments in the North West and in Wales. The promoter believes an increasing number of post 55 year olds want something more than a conventional apartment or retirement village. This over 50s UK housing trend is covered in depth in a series of day long seminars to be held in July. Trends     #155 / 21-04-08

Over 50s flock to UK resort park home enclaves London: The over 50s interest in caravan park living helped fuel a £30m three park deal in the UK this week. The trend mirrors the successful Australian model which mixes a ground rental, a quality manufactured home and an expansive sports/community facility. The average age of entry is 45 years. This trend is covered extensively in a series of day long seminars to be held in July (Trends)     #154 / 21-04-08

Home services presents greatest growth potential London: The provision of a menu of goods and services delivered to the home is one of the two biggest business opportunities in the Over 60s housing market. The menu is constantly adjusted so as to best provide for the age group being serviced. This is not a medically based model, but a service oriented culture, requiring highly developed interpersonal skills, timely delivery and anticipatory management. Trends     #153 / 3-04-08

Money worries to postpone retirement forever? London: The credit crunch, the Footsie retreat and the fall in house prices / pension fund returns has guaranteed the boomer generation will not retire. The +60 generation is also being encouraged to stay on because of tight labour markets. Those that can afford to retire (25%) are choosing new careers and activities. This changing social trend will have an impact on housing choices. Boomers are increasingly seeking to live in experiential dwellings. Trends     #152 / 3-04-08

Over 50s buying second home 'on the water' Melbourne: Casey Group has opened the hotel component of its resort retirement compound at Torquay in Victoria, Australia. The development is made up of 84 dual key investment resort apartments trading as Crowne Plaza (IHG), 45 owner occupier apartments/penthouses and 50 beach villas. Over 60s aren't retiring but are seeking 2 homes. 1 in the city of choice and the 2nd on the water within a 2 hr drive from the principal residence.Trends     #151 / 1-04-08

Over 65s want technology to help stay at home Washington: An AARP Foundation study has found over 65's are willing to try technology like sensors to detect falls and devices to regulate temperature, lights, and appliances, but cost, perception, and technical issues remain challenges. These are the conclusions of two new reports, one from AARP and the other from the Center for Aging Services Technologies (CAST) of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA). Trends     #150 / 1-04-08

Over 50s housing consultancy for developers London: A day long consultancy briefing for over 50s housing developers will be conducted in late July. The briefing (strictly limited to five) will focus on providing an ‘on the spot’ plan for unused land banks. “The recession / credit crunch has not affected specialist / niche over 50s housing projects,” said International Over 50s Housing Trends authority Esmonde Crawley. Developers / Consultancy     #149 / 25-03-08

Retiree high-rise for Norwich Football Club? Norwich: Plans for a major development behind the home of Norwich City Football Club, which includes a 14-storey block of flats overlooking the River Wensum, have now been formally submitted to the Norwich City Council. The complex will include 403 student accommodation units, 71 retirement flats, 202 penthouse and private flats, 24 sheltered housing units and 562 other houses. There will also be a community centre. Trends     #148 / 20-03-08

Concierge services starting to supplant porter London: UK developers have been slow to pick up on the desire of the over 50s to be serviced in quality, well located urban environments by an in-house concierge. Unlike a porter (Mr. Fixit, parcels, keys cut, laundry, cleaners, no weekend service), a concierge books restaurants, theatre tickets, dental / doctor appointments / helicopters / anything, 24/7. 23 percent expect concierges to be common place by 2012. Trends     #147 / 17-03-08

Boomers seeking homes with imagination London: UK retirees are undergoing a sea change, seeking new homes with character and imagination. The calibre of new builds and the advent of the eco building, with its technical advances is drawing in the over 50s market. Brownfield sites (Barking Central by Redrow Regeneration) are delivering new homes in lifelong learning centres, with car-less convenience, village intimacy and a sense of belonging. Trends     #146 / 17-03-08

Coverage Care Services to open hotel care home WHITCHURCH: Coverage Care Services (C.C.S) is planning to open a hotel-style care home in 2010. The GBP6.5M nursing home hotel is to be built in Whitchurch. Each apartment will have an en suite, and each guest will have access to IT suites, restaurants and a day centre. A planning application in currently before the North Shropshire District Council. A decision is expected at the end of May. The 75 bed facility will be operated by CCS. Trends     #145 / 14-03-08

Dr. Bill Thomas ALBANY, N.Y: Green House nursing homes are starting to proliferate in the U.S.A. In traditional nursing homes, residents must adhere to the nursing homes' schedule for meals, activities and medicine times. In a Green House, residents are empowered to live as they would in their own personal homes. The small pods encourage a sense of community living under the guidance of a Shahbaz (a certified nursing assistant). Trends     #144 / 14-03-08

Age Friendly homes plan flawed says developer Staines: One of the UK’s biggest providers of retirement homes says the Government’s plans to make every new home suitable for elderly people will only exacerbate the current problem of older people living in large family houses they no longer need. Nick Sanderson, Chief Executive of Audley said, "One reason for the shortage of housing in this country is 'empty-nesters' are hanging on to family properties they no longer really need". Subscription     #143 / 3-03-08

Trend for over 60s to rental housing growing london: The British Property Federation (BPF) has told the government that a US-style professional rented sector is the answer to the UK’s housing crisis. Rupert Dickinson, chief executive of Grainger and chair of the BPF’s residential committee, said the demand for rental accommodation has risen by 25% since 2000. The USA experience shows demand for rental housing growing rapidly over the age of 75 to reach 25% at 90. Trends     #142 / 26-02-08

Dementia strategy ignoring medical updates London: King's College professor of Mental Health & Ageing Mr. Sube Banerjee has been given 1 year to form a dementia policy by UK social care minister Ivan Lewis. Mr. Banerjee has identified the policy's 3 components (attitudinal change, capacity to diagnose, improve quality of care). Absent from his declared thinking is "very early diagnosis" (the test exists) and medicines that stall the advance of the malady. (Trends)     #141 / 20-02-08

Daycare hotels to be built in shopping centres London: A major non UK headquartered shopping centre developer has prepared plans to build a dual grandparents/child daycare hotel in a mega shopping mall. The initiative reflects both the societal perception that the shopping centre is now the major socialization centre in the community, and the need by the time pressed Sandwich Generation to “one-drop” two generations each day for care. (Trends)     #140 / 14-02-08

Corporate aggregation of care homes to continue London: Nursing home group Healthcare Homes is about to change hands for an estimated £80m. The company's owners, including private equity firm August Equity, have appointed NM Rothschild to carry out a strategic review. The group was formed when A.E backed Richard Clough, the former chief executive of Care UK, in a £37m management buy-in of Abbott Healthcare. The sale will continue the trend to care home aggregation in the UK. Trends     #139 / 13-02-08

High rise seniors flats plans on track / Linfoot leeds: Kevin Linfoot has hit back at critics who have claimed his plans to build Europe's tallest residential tower are to be scaled down. Mr Linfoot, who has helped pioneer seniors city living in Leeds, debunked suggestions that the Lumiere scheme in Leeds was under threat from the credit crunch. He pointed to the commencement of work at the Wellington St site. Lumiere will contain 17 floors dedicated exclusively for the over 50s. Trends     #138 / 12-02-08

Developers must focus on quality not celebrity Preston: UK retirement community developers have to start focusing on creating environments and intuitive housing in locales lusted after by the over 50s, rather than relying on celebrity to shift non descript housing in dull locations. The over 50 wants a new experience not a reprise of the first round in life. The over 50 generation sees celebrity as vacuous window dressing. UK +50s Housing Weekly News | Subscribe #137 / 11-02-08

Innovative solution for housing ageing clergy London: The creation of three storey Oxford University cloisters / quadrangles as centerpieces in brownfield retirement developments will solve two dilemmas facing the churches and developers. Ageing clergy of both sexes and all denominations would be housed in a community conducive to meditation, study, prayer and community service. The clergy core would in turn lure the +60 age group desirous of living in such a reflective community. Trends #136 / 11-02-08

Boomers pursue 2nd home for “new experience" LONDON: UK developers are ignoring a premium high margin submarket in the baby boomers sector. The need for a ‘new cultural experience’ post 50 is a developing trend. But UK over 50s housing developers are ignoring the opportunity to use the UK culture / language / scenery / music / stage / history / literary traditions and quaintness to tap into the USA/Australia/New Zealand second home buyers market in the UK. (Trends in +50s Housing) #135 / 8-02-08

Two hotels for retirees on drawing board Gainsborough: The top floors of a new 40 bed hotel proposed for the old guild hall site in Gainsborough will provide residential accommodation for the retirement sector. Prestigious Living Retirement Villages PLC (PLRV) is to start work on its 86-room over-55s hotel in St Annes next month. PLRV is also looking at development sites in Thornton and Cleveleys. PLRV floated on the Plus Stock Exchange in Oct 2007 to raise cash to fund its expansion. #134 / 6-02-08

Over 50 London: A weekly email news bulletin focusing on Over 50s Housing in the UK was launched in London this week. The Knightsbridge based publisher said, "The focus would be on Retirement Villages, Care Homes, Sheltered / Supported Housing, Dementia and Home Care as well as covering economic, social and political trends affecting retirees and the working over 50's." SAMPLE ISSUE SUBSCRIBE #133 / 11-07-07

Respite care home set to open in Folkestone: A Folkestone registered care centre is setting aside 15 of its 40 beds for respite care for older people with long-term conditions. Broadmeadow, a joint initiative by Kent social services and the local primary care trust, will provide short-term support for older and disabled people enabling them to continue living in their own homes. The doors of the centre are set to open soon and it is only the second home of its type in the county. #132 / 5-06-07

Edinburgh home building delayed Edinburgh: Plans for a new care home on the site of Edinburgh's Eastern General Hospital have been deferred by a year because medical services are continuing on the site. The 60-bed care home, one of four new homes to be built by the council, was intended to ease the bed-blocking problem in the city. The original completion date was summer 2008, but the hospital site’s continued use means the finish date has been shifted back to spring 2009. #131 / 5-06-07

Limerick home details go on display Limerick: The details of a retirement village planned in the grounds of Limerick's Castleroy Park Hotel went on display recently. Plans for 'The Park', a venture backed by investors including First Capital, will feature a restaurant, medical centre, supermarket, café and bank. The Dublin Road development will consist of two-bedroom residences and one and two-bedroom apartments. #130 / 5-06-07

Macclesfield village completed Macclesfield: The finishing touches have been made to a $6.5million retirement village in Macclesfield. Mayor Jim Crockatt laid the final tile on the Kennerly Avenue building's roof where the new facility will be known as Golden Village. It will open in the summer and will feature a mix of flats and supported households. #129 / 5-06-07

Residents moved to private homes Barking: Two nursing homes in east London are to be closed down as part of a major restructuring of older people’s services by Barking and Dagenham Council. Almost 100 residents are to be moved into private homes after the decision to close the Mayesbrook Residential Home in Barking, and Brocklebank Lodge in Dagenham. Up to 72 jobs will be lost under the restructuring including managers, care assistants, cooks and handymen. #128 / 5-06-07

Lymington home gets approval Lymington: Paxton Holdings Ltd has been given approval on appeal to build an 87-bed care home in the Dorset town of Lymington. After New Forest District Council had initially rejected the plans, which had been changed from a hotel to an aged-care home, but they went through following a planning inspector’s probe. The proposed riverside development was waved through after the inspector cited the employment benefits of such a scheme. #127 / 5-06-07

Bury St Edmonds home closes for revamp Suffolk: A Suffolk care home is to be closed for a month while a £750,000 expansion is carried out. Around 40 staff will be laid off for a month and seven residents rehoused while the work is done at St Peter's Cottage in Bury St Edmunds, which will have its capacity doubled to 30. County Care Homes director Gareth Nixon Moss said staff and residents had been given notice and accepted that some residents may wish to remain in their temporary homes. #126 / 29-03-07

Devon outsourcing generates interest Devon: Devon County Council's plans to outsource residential homes and in-house domiciliary care service have attracted local and national interest. The county would retain strategic control over its services but wants to become commissioners of care service rather than the actual providers. Three organisations that showed strong interest in taking over services have been selected tol present to the panels overseeing the transfer. #125 / 28-03-07

Staff seek recompense from care home company Essex: Former Essex County Council care home staff are preparing to take Excelcare to employment tribunals for imposing 'unlawful' terms on them. The Unison union and staff say when Excelcare took over 10 of the county's care homes in 2005 they imposed 40% pay cuts, and removed other terms and conditions. 34 cases are due for hearing at an industrial tribunal, with the council's decision to contract out the homes also under scrutiny. #122 / 27-03-07

Second retirement village granted Birmingham: An application from Bloor Homes to build a 180-unit retirement village at the Egghill Estate site in Longbridge has been approved. The one and two-bedroom homes will surround a village centre and will feature 15 social and leisure facilities, with 24-hour support for residents. The city's second retirement village will include 500 mixed tenure, affordable houses provided in partnership with Harden Housing Asociation. #121 / 26-03-07

Cambourne nursing home gets green light Cambourne: Danescroft Healthcare and McA Developments have been given approval to build an 82-bed nursing home in Cambourne. Danescroft director Duncan Ford said the facility would provide care for people with dementia and other long-term illnesses. The home, which will take 18 months to complete, will feature 72 nursing home beds and ten staff beds, a coffee shop and retail units. #120 / 22-03-07

Taunton home set for rejection Taunton: Plans for a nursing home in Taunton are set to be rejected because councillors want the derelict former egg factory site to be used for better employment purposes. Planners at Taunton Deane Borough Council said they would prefer to have business start-ups in the deprived area rather than the proposed 75-bed elderly home. The planners added there was excess capacity at other homes in the town. #119 / 22-03-07

Bromley elderly face care charge hike Bromley: Elderly people in the London borough of Bromley are looking at a 23 percent rise in care charges. From April 1, the cost of an hour of care will rise from 9.27 pounds an hour to 11.41, and the price is expected to reach 14.19 pounds an hour by April 2009. Councillors said the costs were painful but it had decided to phase them in over three years. The borough has the highest number of elderly people in London. #118 / 22-03-07

Norfolk to privatise continuing support services Norfolk: Norfolk County Council is to press ahead with plans to privatise the running of its continuing support service for the elderly. The proposals are expected to affect 900 staff. The council said it would continue to provide intensive assessment and reablement services but thought the switch of continued care was a better use of resources. #117 / 22-03-07 Photo: Harold Bodmer, Director Norfolk County Adult Social Services Department

Retirement village gets public approval Hereford: Frontsouth Ltd said its plans for a retirement village in Hereford have met with public approval at a recent exhibition. Planning permission was refused for the special care and residential units in August, and a local public inquiry is now under way. Frontsouth director Ron Hayfield, who said the project would create 120 jobs, said many visitors to the exhibition had been attracted by the independent lifestyle option. #116 / 21-03-07

Councillors consider care privatisation Norfolk: Councillors are to consider handing over control of long-term support and palliative care to the private sector. The county spends £33 million a year on home care, and wants to refocus its resources on intensive support for the first 12 weeks after a new referral, before passing continuing care to the private sector. The move, which would save the council £4.5 million in staff costs, will be discussed behind closed doors this week. #115 / 20-03-07

Survey shows spiralling home care costs London: A new survey has shown the average cost of day care has risen by ten times the rate of inflation in the UK. The Public Finance survey also found that home care costs rose by as much as 23% while fees for attendance of day centres increased by 31%. The Local Government Association backed the findings and said four out of ten social services departments found their finances were declining as they tried to help old people no longer given NHS hospital care. #114 / 20-03-07

Lords to give verdict on care home switch London: The independence of private care homes faces a test when the House of Lords delivers its verdict over the status of organisations transferred to the private sector. The resident of a care home has contested a decision by the London Borough of Havering to switch her home to a private sector company, fearing the move will affect her human rights. Local authorities have been warned by government to prepare for potential implications of the case. #113 / 20-03-07

New Harrogate home opens doors Harrogate: Methodist Homes for the Aged (MHA) is celebrating the completion of a new £3 million care home in Harrogate. Berwick Grange, a 52-bed, three-story residential care home in Wetherby Road was recently opened to its first residents. The development, on the site of a former home, is also expected to include 30 extra-care apartments and two bungalows. #112 / 20-03-07

Care home heads plans for Ashington Ashington: An elderly care home has been included in a £15 million investment plan for Ashington. The Executive Care Group is negotiating with Wansbeck Council to build the care home, and the modernisation of some homes through the fitting of modern bathrooms, kitchens and estate environmental improvements. The overall plans, which include 50 affordable new properties, are part of an £80 million package for the east Ashington and Newbiggin areas. #111 / 20-03-07

Retirement group behind St Annes hotel project ST. ANNES: Prestigious Retirement Villages is joining forces with a hotel group to build a new 90-bedroom seafront hotel in St Annes. The 4-star guest house will be aimed at the over 55s market and will feaure a restaurant, meeting rooms and spa facilities. Prestigious will build the hotel, starting this summer, while the running of the property will be conducted by Legacy Hotels and Resorts. #110 / 17-03-07

Retirement villages bolster Gleeson revenues Surrey: The Gleeson Building group said diversification into retirement villages had helped it to an increased forecast turnover of 240 million pounds for its third year of trading. After posting 180m turnover in its first year and 190m a year later, the group said the move to build retirement homes and schools had boosted expectations for 2007. Chief executive Martin Smout said the company felt more comfortable with the risk factor in building retirement villages #109 / 17-03-07

Retirees may have to care for elderly, says BMJ London: The falling number of carers means retirees may be called upon more to look after their elderly parents, a British Medical Journal report said. Swiss scientists believe a sytem in which the younger retired help care for the oldest could be the way forward given the changes in population demographics. The researchers said care of the elderly had swapped places with infant mortality and childhood illness in the concerns of First World countries. #108 / 17-03-07

UK study may link falls to dehydration London: A possible link between not drinking enough water and falls by the elderly is to be investigated by a new study. The study by the Royal Institute of Public Health and Anglian Water follows evidence from residential homes that water coolers help reduce falls. The project, which will focus on five care homes, will see if dehydration impairs alertness and creates dizziness associated with falls. #107 / 17-03-07

Report slates UK's care in the community push Manchester: A National Primary Care Research & Development Centre (NPCRDC) Report has criticised some parts of the UK government's plans to move care into the community. It said some areas of care at home worked well, like diabetes care, but there were concerns over areas such as GPs performing minor surgery. The report said the switch to home and GP care would do little to cut waiting lists. #106 / 16-03-07 Photo: Prof. Martin Roland Director of NPCRDC

Retirement village plan snubbed Macclesfield: Richmond Villages said they would be resubmitting their plans for a retirement village on the site of Macclesfield Cricket Club's Victoria Road site after the plan was rejected by the town council. The group argued objections over increased traffic were groundless because staff would not be travelling rush hour but the plans were still opposed. "We want something that will benefit the whole community," said Cllr John Narraway. #105 / 16-03-07

Care rates leap in Hartlepool Hartlepool: Hartlepool Borough Council has raised the cost of its home care services by 15 percent from £6.75 to £7.50 a day. The adult and public health committee made the change to bring it in line with other councils and to avoid job losses among carers, it said. More than 400 users of the service in Hartlepool will be affected. #104 / 16-03-07 Photo: Alan Dobby, Assistant Director of Adult and Community Services Hartlepool Borough Council

Littleham retirement block rejected Exmouth: Plans for a new retirement block in Littleham near Exmouth were rejected by planners after the council received complaints about its proposed size. The 40-home block on Salterton Road was due to have included a residents' lounge, guest suite and estate manager's office with parking, but the council had 11 written objections. The application now moves before East Devon planners. #103 / 16-03-07

Fylde hospice founder to step down Lancashire: The founder of the Trinity Palliative Care Services hospice in Bispham is to stand down after 22 years as its medical director. David Cooper founded Trinity in 1985 to give care for terminally ill adults but the service has since grown to include a day hospice, education centre, Brian House Children’s Hospice, and the Linden Centre. He was working as GP when it first opened its doors as the only hospice in the Fylde. #102 / 16-03-07

Council inspects St Helens retirement village Cheshire: Councillors have toured a St Helens retirement village before giving Wulvern Housing Association their approval for a similar scheme in Crewe. Councillors from all political parties toured the facilities at Reeve Court Retirement Village and lunched with residents. Wulvern chief executive Sue Lock said council support was crucial in their hope to build a "first-rate facility for older people in Crewe and Nantwich". #101 / 15-03-07

Plans for Ballinagore home refused Westmeath: Westmeath County Council has refused planning permission for a new 46-bed nursing home in Ballinagore. Mullaghmore, Moylough, Galway submitted the application for a 2870sq metre home at Ballkilroe but the decision to refuse was finalised last week. The home would have housed 58 residents and featured 3 day-rooms, 4 consulting rooms, staff and administrative areas and parking for 52 cars. #100 / 14-03-07

Owner defends closure of Sligo home Co. Sligo: A Sligo nursing home owner has defended his decision to close the facility down after a health and safety report highlighted faults. Terry Cawley said he was left with no alternative but to close the Sancta Maria Nursing Home in Enniscrone after 17 years in business, saying changes such as widening doorways would have cost too much. He said he was working with the Health and Safety Executive over finding new homes for the 31 elderly residents. #99 / 14-03-07

Three on shortlist to build Somerset home North Somerset: Three companies have been shortlisted to build a centre of excellence for dementia sufferers at Worle in Somerset. An initial list of nine candidates to convert the Ebdon Court site was whittled down to Brunelcare, Aspects & Milestones, and Housing 21 by North Somerset Council. The contract is expected to be awarded in November, with a nursing home, day centre intermediate care beds set for the revamped site. #98 / 14-03-07

Retirement village seeks business support Sheffield: A pensioner has urged Sheffield business leaders to throw their support behind a new retirement village planned for the Woodhouse district. Around £685,000 is needed to complete the facilities at the ExtraCare Charitable Trust project earmarked for 700 pensioners, and Kathleen Barnes, a 63-year-old awarded an MBE for her dedication to nursing, said businesses should ease the burden. #97 / 14-03-07

Lighting refused for Knock retirement village County Mayo: The developer of a retirement village featuring 70 two-bedroom houses in Knock cannot have two public lights erected at the entrance of the complex despite paying the local council 450,000 euros in levies. Council members have called on the planning committee to install street lighting at the Ballyhaunis Road and Kiltimagh Road where the village, with its recreation area and community centre, is located. #96 / 13-03-07

Cheltenham homes set for major refurbishment Bishop's Cleeve: Rooftop Housing Group has launched a £3.2 million refurbishment at Bishop's Cleeve near Cheltenham. The group acquired the estate in 2006 from Shaftesbury Housing Association and is liaising with residents over new specifications, which include rewiring, central heating, new kitchens and bathrooms. The group is building 44 shared ownership properties in Gloucestershire and a 150-home retirement village near Gloucester. #95 / 8-03-07

Planners approve new Swaffham care home Swaffham: Plans for a new 74-bed care home at Swaffham's Ecotech Park are set to be given the green light. Swaffham Partnership received outline permission for the home in 2005 and now Swaffham Town Council planners said the home "would enhance the already high quality of buildings in the vicinity". The building will be set around an informal garden, with all day rooms on the sunnier southern side and technology to improve noise insulation. #94 / 8-03-07

Irish Group secures funding for UK homes Dublin: Canford Healthcare, a new group founded by Irish businessman Brian Cooney, is set to press on with plans to open 10 care homes in the south of England after a successful round of raising capital. The group announced a €20 million fund arranged by Irish stockbrokers NCB and now has around €75 million to invest over the next 18 months. Cooney is already a director and shareholder in 3 UK care facilities. #93 / 8-03-07 Photo: Conor McCarthy, Director, NCB Corporate Finance

Owners fined for safety breaches Barnet: Owners of the Ravenscroft Park Nursing Home in Barnet, north London have been fined £ 200,000 for flouting 13 health and safety regulations. Park Care Homes Ltd were fined at Harrow Crown Court, on February 16, after a fire at the facility in May 2005 revealed the shortfalls, including locked doors, blocked corridors and faulty extinguishers. The company was also charged £30,000 costs. The home has since closed. #92 / 7-03-07

Retirement village set for castle grounds Mallow: The new owners of Mallow Castle near Cork are planning to build a retirement village within the castle grounds. The Scriven family’s Rebel Bar Group syndicate bought the site last week for 8 million euros and plan two-bed units, a day-care centre and nursing unit in an area of grounds away from the castle, which will be converted for use in the hospitality sector. Tom Scriven said the village would be based on the one built at Askeaton, Co Limerick. #91 / 7-03-07

Plans to turn Andover hotel into home approved Andover: Barchester Healthcare has been granted permission to build a 60-bed nursing home on the site of the former Rothsay Hotel near Andover. Test Valley Borough Council's northern area planning committee gave the plans for a home with 58-space car park the green light last week. Barchester Healthcare offer care to the over 65s, respite and dementia care and also offer assistance to young physically disabled people. #90 / 7-03-07

Councillors check on Aylesbury home progress Aylesbury: Buckinghamshire County Council officials have visited the site of a new 78-bed residential care home in Aylesbury ahead of its planned opening later this year. They were checking progress at the first of eight proposed care homes being built in Belgrave Road, Meadowcroft. The joint venture between the council and the Fremantle Trust charity will include specialist accommodation for those with learning difficulties. #89 / 7-03-07

Work on services home in Solihull under way Solihull: Work on a new care home for 60 former servicemen and women started in Solihull last week. Falklands War hero Simon Weston dug the first sod of turf for the proposed 7.5 million-pound Royal Star and Garter Home last week and the facility is due to open in summer 2008. The home, to be built by contractors Bluestone, will provide therapeutic and nursing care and includes a specialist wing for those with dementia. #88 / 7-03-07

Fundraisers seek more facilities at Bolton home Bolton: An appeal group is being set up to help raise money for extra facilities at a new care home at the former Beechville home site in Chorley New Road. The 62-bed unit was granted planning permission in January with Methodist Homes for the Aged Care Group starting building work in April at the site in Chorley New Road. The appeals hope to raise the 300,000 pounds needed to fund a library, computer room, and a sensory garden. #87 / 7-03-07

Hotel to be converted into retirement village Dorset: A disused hotel is set to be demolished and replaced by a 160-unit retirement village for the over 55s in Ferndown, Dorset. Developer Banner Homes is seeking to convert the Dormy Hotel in New Road into the units as well as a restaurant, bar, doctor's room and live-in accommodation for staff. The project features buildings four storeys high and the proposals come after original plans from Banner for houses and flats on the site were withdrawn. #86 / 1-03-07

80-bed care home gets approval in Hartlepool Hartlepool: Hartlepool Borough Council has approved plans for an 80-bed care home for people aged over 50 and in need of constant medical supervision. Proposals for the three-storey building at the junction of Warren and Easington Roads had been put on hold over concerns about flooding and car parking spaces. But revised plans for the former Hartlepool University site were accepted though no date has been given for its expected completion. #85 / 28-02-07

Anger at closure of Dunmurry care home Dunmurry: Down Lisburn Trust’s decision to close an elderly care home in Dunmurry has been met with anger from residents and councillors. The trust said ‘suitable alternatives’ would be found for all residents of Seymour House. Local councillor Jonathan Craig said he and MP Jeffrey Donaldson would be lobbying Trust Chairman David Gorman and the Health Minister to overturn the trust’s decision. #84 / 28-02-07

Retirement housing demand squeezes locals Lesbury: Growing demand for retirement housing is forcing young first-time buyers out of the market in Lesbury, Northumberland, developers say. Alnwick District Council has been told by planners to refuse permission to build 12 affordable units in the town. "The pressure for retirement houses and holiday homes is squeezing out locals," Colin Barnes of the developers said. The council said the plans had been refused for a lack of clarity. #83 / 26-02-07

Councillors defend expanded care home plan Harlow: Councillors have defended the decision to press ahead with a new 55-bed residential care home. The Parnall House project, which was originally intended to have only 32 beds, was approved despite residents’ concerns about the project's increased size and its effect on light quality. Cllr Hulcoop said: "We desperately need more accommodation for the elderly around the town. Harlow's population is getting older all the time and they need to go somewhere." #82 / 26-02-07

Plans for 72-bed home in Chichester turfed out Chichester: Sunrise Senior Living had its plans for a 72-bed care home in Chichester thrown out after their appeal was heard at a public inquiry last month. Chichester District Council originally refused permission because it was deemed too large and would have too great an impact on the Summersdale area’s character. Sunrise disputed the decision and after a three-day inquiry hearing the proposals were again rejected by a government planning inspector. #81 / 26-02-07

Care home boss admits stealing from residents Sunderland: A care home boss who admitted stealing £10,000 from residents to fuel her partner’s gambling habit has been handed a 12-month suspended sentence at Newcastle Crown Court. Alyson Smith, 37, admitted to colleagues in a signed confession to taking the money before a failed attempt to take her own life, the court heard. All the cash was refunded to the elderly residents by Southern Cross Healthcare, which owns the Ashton Grange Care Home. #80 / 26-02-07

Necton residential care home plans on hold Norfolk: Plans for a 35-bed residential care home at Necton in Norfolk have been put on hold over councillors’ concerns about the loss of 170 trees. Necton Grange Residential Home applied for permission to build the care unit, and a 15-bed mentally infirm wing but the final decision will wait on an environmental harm update. Owner David Clark cited the ‘unstoppable increase’ in the number of elderly as the reason for pushing the plans through. #79 / 23-02-07

Care home faces closure after adverse finding Co. Sligo: The owners of the Enniscrone private nursing home that faces 32 alleged breaches of HSE regulations said the unit faces closure if it is to make the changes in the three-month time-frame given to them. An unannounced HSE inspection in October last year found a string of faults including lack of wheelchair accessible corridors, lack of a lift and the discovery of four residents restrained in their chairs. #78 / 23-02-07

New 55-bed residential care home for Harlow Harlow: Revised plans for a 55-bed residential care home for the elderly have been passed by Harlow Council. The unit at Parnall House was granted planning permission in 2005 for 46 beds but the applicant submitted a revised bid which was accepted and work will commence in April. DWA Architects Ltd, acting on behalf of the applicant, said the private care home would open in April 2008 and would feature a nurse station, medical room and other facilities. #77 / 23-02-07

New manager appointed to journalists’ home Dorking: Helen Tomlinson has been appointed as the manager of the new Sandy Cross Care Home in Dorking, the unit to be run by the Journalists’ Charity. The 42-year-old from Lancashire will oversee the home’s affairs when it is due to open next month. Tomlinson is a qualified nurse and social worker and has a masters degree in social policy. #76 / 23-02-07

Nunnery to become new retirement village Portlaw: A family home run as a nunnery since the early 1900s has been sold and will be turned into a new retirement village by the Master Group. No application has yet been lodged for Woodlock Nursing Home, but plans include 100 houses, a social centre and a self-contained convent for retired members of the order. The Master Group, which also owns homes in Cork and Clare, will take over the property from 1st March with the village to be finished by March 2009. #75 / 20-02-07

Plans ditched for second Coldstream home Coldstream: Plans for a new care home in Coldstream have been shelved after the Scottish Executive insisted the company involved close its other facility in the Borders town. Guardian Care proposed a 60-bed site at Duns Road, but the government granted permission if their current facility at Lennel Road was closed. The closure condition prompted the company to withdraw its new plans, but it will now undertake a 200,000 pound update of its original home. #74 / 20-02-07

Huddersfield village gets planning approval Huddersfield: Plans for a retirement village of 300 bungalows and a residential care home stepped closer to reality after Planning and Communities Minister Ruth Kelly granted planning permission. Proposals are now being drawn up for the site of the former Storthes Hall psychiatric hospital at Kirkburton. People over 60 will be invited to purchase bungalows where they will be offered support from care home staff and have access to shops and other facilities. #73 / 16-02-07

Demand prompts plans for Birmingham village New Oscott: Councillors say increasing demand for high quality housing prompted them to approve plans for a new 37 million-pound retirement village in the city. Around 260 apartments are expected to be built as well as a bar, village hall, gym and learning centre at New Oscott just outside Sutton Coldfield. Work on the project is expected to start later this year,with residents moving in by the end of 2009. #72 / 16-02-07 Photo: Drawing of the proposed Village Centre

Two villages poised to get go-ahead in Dudley Dudley: Dudley Council has sought to solve the housing shortage for pensioners by looking at plans for two new 130-home retirement villages in the borough. Set to be approved by councillors this week, the proposals have earmarked two separate plots of land in the borough with the villages to be run by private firms. Housing director Ron Sims said the plan mirrored that of other authorities in the country, albeit on a larger scale. #71 / 16-02-07

Company defends plans for Tadworth homes Tadworth: A company planning to build 49 sheltered apartments in Tadworth, Surrey say they will take on board residents’ concerns about the plans changing the balance of the community. Churchill Retirement Living plans to house up to 90 elderly people, but the proposals have sparked fears in the community about overstretched health services. M.D. Spencer McCarthy said the demand existed for the scheme and was a better use for the site than at present. #70 / 16-02-07

Retirement Complex set for holiday site Morecombe Bay: A strip of dilapidated holiday chalets at Morecambe Bay is to be bulldozed to make way for Britain’s largest retirement complex. The site is to be transformed into Middleton Village, including 590 homes, a 60-bed nursing care home, medical centre and hotel together with its own shops, tennis court and bowling green. Work on the 80-acre site started earlier this year and is the result of a 100 million-pound investment by the Prestigious Living Group. #69 / 14-02-07

Retirement flats feature in new Leeds project Leeds: Twelve storeys of modern retirement flats have been included in a multi-million pound glass-towered development in Leeds City Centre. The flats, part of a 566-foot landmark building project, Lumiere which starts building in March, will be available to buyers over 50 years old and will have a fashionable Sophie Conran-designed interior.The apartments will feature emergency pull cords, extra-wide doorways for wheelchairs, larger kitchens and bath rails. #68 / 14-02-07

Misconduct charges for Bradford home staff BRADFORD: Two former senior nursing home workers could be struck off the nursing register if found guilty of misconduct charges. Jean Boxer, former matron at Gargrave Park Nursing Home, and Leigh Marshall, former manager at the home, are before the Nursing and Midwifery Council charged with failing to take adequate steps to ensure residents were not placed at risk, and failing to take appropriate action after an assault on a resident. #67 / 18-01-07

Protesters to fight Surrey aged care plan Tadworth: Campaigners in Tadworth are preparing to fight a developer over plans to knock down five houses to make way for 49 sheltered apartments. They fear a potential influx of 80 to 90 elderly people will change the balance of the community. Churchill Retirement Living, headed by Spencer McCarthy, plans to demolish five properties at Cross Road. But Save Tadworth Action Group (STAG), has been formed by residents to stop the sheltered homes scheme. #66 / 18-01-07

Work to start on Dearn Valley care home Rotherham: Work on an 87-bed retirement village is to begin later this month on land next to Manvers Lake, near Wath. The facility is part of a £100m development by Anglo-Dutch company Express Developments which will also feature 387 homes and a business hotel. The leader of Rotherham Council, Councillor Roger Stone, said: "We look forward to it getting under way and, of course, it becoming a thriving new community." #65 / 18-01-07

OAPs devastated by care home closure Coventry: Elderly people living in a private care home in Coventry have been left in tears by news that they will have to leave their friends and find a new home. Residents living near Appledore Lodge are upset at the decision to turn it into a house for some of the most difficult children in the city. Planning permission was granted on January 11 to change the use of the building from a home for 18 elderly people to a care home for troubled Coventry kids. #64 / 16-01-07

Court to decide application of rights act London: The Court of Appeal is being asked to decide if people in privately-run care homes should have stronger protection for their human rights. Campaigners say the law needs to be changed to prevent elderly couples being separated in care, or homes closed without the consent of vulnerable residents. The Human Rights Act is applied to care homes run by local authorities, but not to homes in the private or voluntary sector. #63 / 16-01-07

Homes in Wales prove popular among retirees Cardiff: Wales is fast becoming a retirement hot spot. As many people look to retire in Wales, apartments offering increased security and lower maintenance, situated within close to local amenities, are proving increasingly popular. Despite its growing popularity, property prices remain competitive with the average price of a new home at £213,350, making Wales the most affordable place to purchase a new home in the UK after the East Midlands. #62 / 15-01-07

Hartfields show home to open this year Hartlepool: The first show home at a £35 million retirement village in Hartlepool is expected to be unveiled by early summer this year. The Hartfields development at Middle Warren will see the creation of 214 one and two bedroomed apartments and 28 cottages. Hartlepool residents will be given first option on the homes which can be either rented, part-owned or bought outright. The first properties should be ready for occupancy by early summer 2008. #61 / 16-01-07

Retirees opt for big-city life in London London: Forget seaside towns and quaint villages, a new wave of elderly buyers are choosing to retire to London. A quarter of the properties that estate agency DTZ Residential has sold this year in central London have been to people of retirement age. Emma Soames, the editor of Saga magazine, expects the trend to continue. “There are museums, shops and theatres on the doorstep,” she says. “Just because you are retiring, you do not have to vegetate in the country.” #60 / 14-01-07

Goldshield moves into Indian market GOA: British company Goldshield is developing retirement homes in the Goa, Kerala and Dehradun areas of India. The UK-based Goldshield is looking at developing a "well-being village" in India. The first such village is expected to open in Mumbai in December this year. Developers are building homes for high-income couples working abroad in the US, Canada, Europe and the Middle East who will retire in the next three to five years.   #59 / 14-01-07

Barking Hall luxury refurbishment complete COLCHESTER: A care home company is celebrating the completion of major refurbishment works at its Needham Market property. Healthcare Homes, based at Colchester, has added 23 new luxury rooms to Barking Hall with en suite facilities. The company, which employs more than 40 staff at the site, is set to recruit more employees following expansion. Manager Patricia Smaldon said the new rooms would give the site a “real boost”. #58 / 14-01-07

Sunrise on the up in UK with joint venture McLEAN, VA: American care home provider Sunrise Senior Living is to expand its share of the UK retirement market in a joint venture with Prudential Real Estate Investors (PREI). The joint venture plans to develop 18 new assisted living properties in residential locations throughout Britain in the next four years. Sunrise, founded by Paul J Klaasen, first entered the UK market in 2002, also in a joint venture with PREI, but this second foray is much bigger in its scale. #57 / 11-01-07

112 more care places planned for Norfolk NECTON: Plans to create 112 care places for the elderly in Necton, near Swaffham, and North Tuddenham, near Dereham, are being considered by Breckland Council. The owners of the existing Necton Grange home, left, want to build a 35-bed care unit and a 15-bed unit specialising in treating mentally-infirm residents. In North Tuddenham Executive Healthcare wants to build a 62-bed nursing home on a patch of disused land next to The Lodge public house. #56 / 11-01-07

Gloucestershire to decide on £50m care scheme Gloucester: Gloucestershire County Council will next week make the final decision on a £50 million building and development scheme for residential care homes in the county. If the cabinet approves the proposals 11 new care homes and extra care housing schemes will be built or redeveloped, increasing the number of care beds and extra care units from 880 to 1001, with more specialist high dependency beds. #55 / 11-01-07

120-bed super-home planned in Slough WEXHAM: Slough Borough Council has revealed plans to build a new 120-bed "super-carehome". About 90 of the beds will be for older people on a new site in Wexham to replace two out-of-date care homes. A home in Knolton Way and Newbeech House in Britwell will be replaced. Councillor Derek Cryer said: "Slough has an ageing population. This new facility will provide more beds and a better range of facilities in a state-of-the-art brand new environment." #54 / 11-01-07

New care home for Chelston Park site WELLINGTON: A new care home is under construction in Wellington, Somerset, and is set to open its doors to the elderly later this year. Chelston Park Care Home, funded by Natwest and Lombard, is being built on the site of the existing Chelston Park nursing home on a former estate, and will offer 50 beds to the local community. Chelston Park already offers 34 beds for adults needing care and it is hoped the new facility will employ 65 staff. #53 / 11-01-07

£4.6m nursing home wheeled out in Barrow BARROW-IN-FURNESS: Building work on a £4.6m nursing home in Barrow has got under way despite opposition from some local residents. The 40-bed home, which will create 60 jobs, is to go up on Flass Lane, Barrow, and operator Risedale says it hopes the facility will be open by the end of the year. Melanie Bower and her daughter Lauryn Routledge, left, had to give up their horses, pigs and sheep which used to graze on the building land. #52 / 11-01-07

New £8.5m care home to be built around old MELBOURN: THE £8.5m redevelopment of a care home in Melbourn, South Cambridgeshire, has begun. The building has been partly designed by residents, their families, and will be built around the existing structure so that residents and employees can transfer directly from one to the other. Nigel Howlett, chief executive of Cambridge Housing Society, said: "We are sure that the new building and facilities will provide excellent quality services to the residents." #51 / 11-01-07

Anger at 100m euro plan for health advisors DUBLIN: The Irish Health Service Executive (HSE) has tendered for a panel of financial experts to tell it how to run the creaking health service. The HSE plans to pay the advisors 100m euros over four years. The opposition described the plan as a waste of public money. "I find it extrordinary that the HSE is spending such huge amounts of money on consultants to tell them how to do their job," said Labour's health spokesperson Liz McManus. #50 / 8-01-07

Exclusive health farm to become care home GARSTANG: One of Lancashire's most exclusive health farms is to be transformed into a care home. Brooklands Health Farm, Bowgreave, near Garstang, is to close its doors as a luxury spa and reopen as a residential home aimed at people over the age of 55. Judith Brown sold the centre in Calder House Lane after running the health farm, where an overnight stay would cost around £190, for 28 years. The new owner is Blackpool-based company BPL Care. #49 / 7-01-07

Room to improve Norfolk care home standards NORWICH: New figures have shown that some of Norfolk's care homes continue to offer a poor level of service to residents. Assessments carried out by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) revealed that out of the 389 care homes in Norfolk as of December 2006, 28 received the lowest level of grading. The figures were obtained from the commission by North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb under Freedom of Information legislation. #48 / 7-01-07

Landmark case as man wins care fees back TORQUAY: A retired Scotland Yard detective who was forced to sell his late mother's home to pay for her nursing care has won back fees of more than £50,000 in a landmark settlement. Michael Pearce sold his mother Ruby's house to fund three years of nursing home fees after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Mrs Pearce, who died two years ago aged 84, did not qualify for full funding under current NHS guidelines, which are being revised. #47 / 4-01-07

Extra Care Scheme a step closer to reality PRUDHOE: A multi-million pound scheme which will change the way care for the elderly is provided in Prudhoe has taken a big leap forward. Outline planning permission for 46 sheltered homes and the creation of a community hub for the elderly – known as an Extra Care Scheme – has been granted by Tynedale Council. But the project is still dependent on the success of a bid for funding which has been made to the Department of Health. #46 / 3-01-07

NHS staff crisis in pipeline in next four years LONDON: The NHS will be top heavy with highly paid consultants and other specialists by 2011, but short of thousands of nurses, a leaked Department of Health document warns. It says sharp reductions will cut the 1,366,000 NHS workforce by 2.7 per cent. The strategy document forecasts that by 2010-11, the NHS will have 3,200 too many full-time consultants but shortages of 14,000 nurses, 1,200 GPs, and 1,100 junior doctors. #45 / 3-01-07

750,000 elderly face starvation in hospital LONDON: More than 750,000 pensioners could be left to battle starvation in British hospitals this year. The warning came from Age Concern which found elderly patients who were abandoned with nothing to eat. Its research uncovered how one in four hospital patients or visitors knew someone who had suffered an unhealthy experience with meals and vital nutrition. The charity has also called on Chancellor Gordon Brown to increase NHS funding for the aged. #44 / 2-01-07

Call for review of care home costs in Scotland EDINBURGH: The Scottish Executive has been urged to rethink rules on how councils calculate charges for care home costs. The call, from Age Concern Scotland, came after the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman criticised the "confused and inconsistent" system. Professor Alice Brown made the comments in her judgment on the case of a man who complained that his father faced bankruptcy after East Dunbartonshire Council refused to pay for his care. #43 / 2-01-07

166-home application for sports ground St Albans: A retirement village equipped with its own swimming pool and gym is being planned by developers for part of a former sports field on the edge of St Albans. Sheffield-based Hallam Land Management wants to build the 166-home scheme on the front part of the site of the former St Albans School sports field. It will include a 40-bed retirement village complete with swimming pool and gymnasium as well as a possible bowling green. #42 / 27-12-06

Caddick founder to focus on retirement villages Leeds: Yorkshire property developer Caddick Group has appointed John Bywater as managing director of its development division. Mr Bywater will replace Paul Caddick, who will keep his role as chairman of the development and construction divisions. The appointment will enable Mr Caddick, who founded the company in 1979, to pursue special projects within the group, including the new retirement village division. #41 / 27-12-06

Two million Britons ignore long-term care LONDON: New research from Fidelity International suggests that nearly two million Britons aged 55-75 who have spare money have no plans to allocate any to pay for long-term care. The survey adds that of the 24 per cent of those who do plan to set aside money, more than one in three (37 per cent) will reserve less than £25,000 – enough to cover just one full year’s care. The average stay in a nursing home is three years and one in six people are likely to need it. #40 / 19-12-06

Wulvern trip follows investment announcement CREWE: Twenty members of the Crewe and Nantwich Older Peoples Partnership visited a North West retirement village on a trip organised by Wulvern Housing. Following an announcement of a ten-year, multi-million-pound investment programme to improve services for older people by Wulvern, the pensioners were invited to Reeve Court in St Helens to help shape plans for a state of the art retirement village in Crewe and Nantwich. #39 / 18-12-06

Telecare packages for 500 homes in Cumbria WESTON: Five hundred homes across Cumbria are to receive telecare packages following a contract award to suppliers, Tunstall,  by the local county council. The move follows a successful pilot scheme earlier this year. Cumbria County Council says that the new telecare packages will “effectively manage risk, support well-being and promote independence for older and vulnerable people.” #38 / 17-12-06

Cutting care jobs 'not a backward step' SHEFFIELD: The man in charge of adult care services in Sheffield says it took courage to make a decision to reorganise the service, resulting in the loss of up to 300 jobs. Councillor Mick Rooney said difficult decisions had to be made over the future of the Care4You service. "This is part of a jigsaw which has been a long time in the planning and will provide a better service for more people," Cr Rooney said. "This is not going to be a backward step." #37 / 17-12-06

Southern Cross to take over Alpha Care homes LONDON: Southern Cross Healthcare Group has unveiled a deal to manage 197 beds in five elderly care homes owned by Alpha Care Services (UK) Ltd which it said it was likely to buy in the near future under an option. The company announced an 8 per cent rise in weekly fees alongside annual results. Southern Cross said revenues more than trebled to 611 million pounds after its acquisition of Ashbourne Healthcare's 10,000 beds in November 2005. #36 / 14-12-06

Harney hails fairness of new care funding DUBLIN: Minister for Health Mary Harney has defended the Irish Government's new scheme of funding for older people in long-term residential care, claiming it will take people out of the "unfair, stressful" situation they can currently find themselves in. Ms Harney said the new system, whereby up to 15 per cent of the value of a person's estate may be paid to the State after they die in order to cover the cost of long-term care, would be much fairer. #35 / 13-12-06

Opposition to plan for Larchfields home site ST HELENS: Campaigners are urging people to help battle against the closure of Larchfields Residential Home, which is ermarked for closure by St Helens Council. The current home can accommodate up to 40 people but there are 13 residents living there. Under plans by Helena Housing, a new retirement village on the site would house up to 80 people. Campaigners are now urging residents to write to MP Dave Watts, left, and St Helens Council. #34 / 12-12-06

East Sussex focus on needs of ageing population LEWES: Care services for the elderly in East Sussex will soon be under far greater demand as the 'baby-boomer' generation reaches retirement age, the county council has warned. Councillor Bill Bentley, Lead Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said: "East Sussex is a very popular area to live in and is particularly popular as an area to retire to. Consequently, the county's age profile is somewhat higher than most parts of the country." #33 / 11-12-06

Retirement village planned for Ellesmere Port Ellesmere Port: A multi-million pound retirement village is being earmarked for Ellesmere Port, one of five being planned for Cheshire. Cheshire County Council plans to build 433 state-of-the-art homes for older people in Ellesmere Port, Crewe, Winsford, Middlewich and Handforth. Partnering the authority as developers are AvantAge, a consortium of Nationwide, Harvest Housing Group and Gleeson construction. #32 / 10-12-06

Expert calls for smaller Irish nursing homes SWORDS: The man who wrote the damning report into Leas Cross nursing home in Swords, Co Dublin, says building smaller facilities may be the best way to ensure the highest standard of care. Professor Des O’Neill told the Irish parliament that making nursing homes smaller would ensure patients get a high-quality service. “That’s going to be more expensive, but I think it’s more worthwhile,” Professor O’Neill said. #31 / 7-12-06

£10m retirement village for primary school site HANDFORTH: A new £10 million retirement village is to be built in Handforth, Cheshire, on the site of a former primary school. By 2010 the former Brook Dean Primary will be turned into a community for 53 pensioners. Wilmslow County Councillor Adrian Bradley said services for the elderly would start to outstrip the needs of the younger generation. He said: "The policy is to move assets from the young to the old, this represents the shift in population." #30 / 6-12-06

Applications flood in for innovative care home STARBECK: MORE than 200 job applications have been received for 30 initial posts at a pioneering new £7 million care home in North Yorkshire. It follows the official registration of Belmont House, Starbeck, from the Commission For Social Care Inspectorate. The home, conceived by Harrogate-based Lincare Ltd, will offer a wide range of care options, each of which will be delivered in private, independent purpose-designed areas of the building. #29 / 6-12-06

New learning difficulties home under way STALYBRIDGE: New Charter Housing Trust has started work on a replacement for the Staley House care home in Stalybridge. The new home for adults with learning difficulties will cost New Charter £2.25m, with a further £1.25m from a Housing Corporation grant. New Charter's Ian Munro said: "Because the new building is only yards from Staley House, I can expect residents to keep their eyes on progress – we will not disappoint them." #28 / 5-12-06

Care village is planned for A40 bypass site WITNEY: A retirement village could be built on land next to the A40 Witney bypass in West Oxfordshire. A 'care village', including serviced suites, apartments and bedrooms, a restaurant and bowling green, is proposed for land at Coral Springs. It is designed for up to 170 elderly people. Richmond Villages say they expect to put in a planning application to the district council in the next few months and residents have had an opportunity to view the plans. #27 / 5-12-06

Irish legislation to close sub-standard homes DUBLIN: Legislation which will give Irish health watchdogs the power to close nursing homes and other residential institutions that do not meet patient safety standards is due to be passed into law next April. Dr Tracey Cooper, the Chief Executive of the Interim Health Information and Quality Authority, said because of public and staff concerns over the care of patients in nursing homes and other institutions, health inspectors will be recruited early in the New Year. #26 / 4-12-06

Care home activist takes fight to Blair LONDON: A Welsh campaigner has delivered a letter to 10 Downing Street calling for laws to protect the rights of elderly people in council-run care homes. Ken Mack, 65, of Wrexham, says recent care home closures threaten the lives of thousands of residents who are then forced into the private sector. The council said financial constraints mean it cannot continue providing residential care in its current form. #25 / 4-12-06

Staff shocked by quick closure of home STROOD: Staff at an old people’s home in Kent say they are “stunned” that residents are being moved out only three days after councillors approved its closure. Medway Council voted on November 28 to consult the 62 staff at Shaws Wood, in Strood, but weekend workers were told they were not needed. The remaining residents were moved on Friday. Anne Windiate, from the council, said it had been planning the “reprovision of services” for some time. #24 / 3-12-06

£300m investment drive for Hallmark Healthcare BILLERICAY: An Essex care home operator, whose homes include facilities like cinemas, has announced a £300 million investment drive. Billericay-based Hallmark Healthcare will invest the sum over the next four years, in a bid to increase its bed capacity by 1,000 beds annually. Lead by managing director Avnish Goyal, Hallmark Healthcare’s target is to offer 5,000 operational beds in around 80 care homes. It currently operates 21 care homes. #23 / 17-12-06

Retirement village for Cannock factory site CANNOCK: A £100 million regeneration scheme for the site of Cannock’s former Automotive Lighting factory has been given the thumbs up. Bob Evans, director of planning for Pritchard Holdings, presented the scheme for the former Bridgtown plant, which closed in 2004, to councillors. The Walkmill Lane site will be transformed, with 198 houses, a care home with 62 flats and a retirement village with 129 apartments. The outline planning application was approved. #22 / 3-12-06

Campus-style village plan for Warwick Gates Leamington: A huge university campus-style retirement village offering accommodation for 500 pensioners is set for Warwickshire. If councillors give plans the go-ahead, the development – in the Warwick Gates area of Leamington – would be one of the largest in the region. A planning application is likely to be made to Warwick District Council by the end of the year. #21 / 3-12-06

Helical Bar expands retirement developments LONDON: British business landlord and property developer Helical Bar Plc posted a 37 per cent rise in first-half pre-tax profit and said it plans to expand its retirement village developments. Helical managing director Michael Slade, left, said the company was developing five retirement villages in England. "We can still make money by building retirement villages, buying hospitals or schools and turning them into retirement villages," Mr Slade said. #18 / 30-11-06

Prominent doctor joins board of Haven Wood WATERFORD: Dr Donie Ormonde, consultant radiologist at Waterford Regional Hospital, has joined the board of Haven Wood, the nursing home and retirement village due to open in Ballygunner later this year.A former senator, Dr Ormonde was also a member of the South Eastern Health Board and Chairman of the Waterford Association of Mentally Handicapped. He is the current Chairman of the Christ Church Waterford Foundation Development Board. #17 / 30-11-06

Retirement village cuts cost to council tax payers PORTSMOUTH: A new retirement village in Portsmouth is expected to save council tax payers £300,000 a year. The £11m Milton Village retirement complex, which is part-funded by Portsmouth City Council, will offer a wide range of senior care services on site, which will in turn reduce the cost to the local authority. Elderly residents will have access to facilities such as hairdressers and chiropodists, as well as standard live-in care-giving services. #16 / 29-11-06

Lancashire success encourages developers HEYSHAM: More than half of the retirement homes built on the site of a former holiday camp in north Lancashire have been sold. Financial partners Allied Irish Bank (GB) said sales at the £100m Middleton Village development in Lancaster are already ahead of schedule. The initial success of the project, which will offer 650 new homes to over 55s, has convinced developers Prestigious Living Group (PLG) to begin looking for other sites for similar projects. #15 / 29-11-06

Barchester turns to Ireland with plan for homes CORK: A British nursing-home chain owned by financier Dermot Desmond (left) and racing magnates JP McManus and John Magnier plans to open up to 20 nursing homes in Ireland. Barchester Healthcare, which is chaired by Denis Brosnan, the former chief executive of the Kerry Group, intends to have the homes operational within three to five years. The firm entered the Irish market last week when it bought a €45 million retirement village in Trim, Co Meath. #14 / 29-11-06

Care home's future to be discussed BRAMFORD: Members of Suffolk County Council's cabinet will meet this week to decide whether or not to close Cherryfields in April 2007 in a bid to save cash. The council said Cherryfields costs £980 per person per week, which was more than twice as much as the cost of respite care in independent homes. A report said the facility should only close if good quality alternative residential and other respite services were available. #13 / 29-11-06

Mayor helps get work underway on care home Aylesbury: The Mayor of Aylesbury got building work under way for an elderly persons residential home in Meadowcroft. Cllr Niknam Hussain dug out foundations for the 78-bed care home at the former Meadowcroft First School in Belgrave Road, which will also offer a home to some elderly people with learning difficulties. It is the first of eight care homes planned across the county to be operated by the Fremantle Trust on behalf of Bucks County Council. #12 / 28-11-06

CareTech buys 13 care homes London: CareTech Holdings PLC announced the acquisition of 13 freehold homes from Counticare Holdings Ltd, plus Counticare Ltd and Hazeldene UK Ltd, for 15 mln stg in cash, and said it expects it will be earnings enhancing in the current financial year. Caretech said that under its ownership these companies will no longer incur their historical "significant property rental charges." #11 / 28-11-06

£30m cash boost for care homes Edinburgh: The care sector yesterday welcomed an increase of £30m in its budget for next year. Deputy Health Minister, Lewis Macdonald, said additional cash will be provided by the executive and local authorities to meet the rises in fees. From April 2007, weekly fee levels per resident paid to homes providing nursing care should increase by 6% from £471.45 to £501.27, and for homes without nursing care by 7% from £406.78 to £435.30. #10 / 26-11-06

Nursing home firm pleads guilty to charges Dublin: A company which operates two nursing homes in counties Louth and Meath has pleaded guilty to seven charges under nursing home regulations. Devey Healthcare Limited runs the Castlelodge Nursing Home in Castlebellingham and the Delvin Lodge Nursing Home in Gormanstown. The company has also pleaded not guilty to two charges of failing to provide a high standard of nursing care. #9 / 26-11-06

MPs call for care home food standards London: An early day motion signed by17 MPs has called on the Government to introduce “enforceable standards” for care home food. The move, led by Sutton Lib Dem MP Paul Burstow, follows last month’s release of nutrient and food-based guidelines by the Food Standards Agency (FSA). The motion, which was also signed by Respect MP George Galloway, said more than 60,000 people in care homes were malnourished, which cost the taxpayer £2.6b a year. #8 / 26-11-06

Opinions heard over retirement village plan Helsby: Residents were given the chance to air their views on Brook-house plans for a proposed retirement village before it goes before Vale Royal Borough Council's planning committee. An exhibition detailed how the transformation of the former BICC site into a retirement complex would look if permission was granted.The planning application is scheduled to go before VRBC planning committee in December. #7 / 24-11-06

Care home open for just one resident Ashton Under Lyne: Katherine House, a care home with 11 staff is being kept open for just one resident. Thomas Lindley, 69, who has lived at the home for 20 years, is challenging a decision to close it and move him elsewhere. The other 19 residents have been transferred to other homes but Mr Lindley, who is severely disabled and needs 24-hour care, refuses to budge. And while the case has gone through the courts, the council has been forced to keep the home open. #6 / 26-11-06

Massive rescue package for nursing-home firm Co Meath: A British healthcare consortium has offered an €8 million investment package to save HC Developments, a Cork company that is developing a €45 million nursing home and retirement village in Co Kildare. The company was developing a 120-bed nursing home, 28 houses and 42 apartments at a site in Trim, Co Meath. However, work stopped on the development earlier this year after its bank withdrew its major line of credit. #5 / 24-11-06

Controversial club could be a care home Scaynes Hills: A controversial liberated lifestyle club could leave Scaynes Hill as early as February 2007 if an application for a 70-bed care home is approved. Former fetish club promoter Brian Sheridan took over the former Brighton Sun Club at Hamshaw in November last year with his wife Caroline, re-branding the venue Club Liberty. Mr Sheridan said he knew there was a chance the club could be evicted because of a clause in the contract. #4 / 26-11-06

Anger over nursing home regulation Dublin: There is still no legislation governing the inspection of nursing homes — 14 months after substandard care was exposed at Leas Cross. Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said the Government had promised new laws 'within months' of the RTE Prime Time programme showing serious bedsores among patients' going untreated, poor hygiene standards and verbally abusive staff at the north Dublin facility in May 2005. #3 / 24-11-06

Minister in about-face over Home Care Swansea: First Minister Rhodri Morgan tried to make amends for one of his bleakest moments in office by waiving home care fees for 4,000 elderly and disabled people. In February, the Government dropped its 2003 manifesto pledge to abolish home care charges for the disabled. Mr Morgan proposed two initiatives to help people who are financially assessed by their council for home care and social services. #2 / 23-11-06

Resident pressure forces Council U-turn Stratford: Villagers in Great Alne are celebrating after Stratford District Council turned down plans for a retirement development they say would have swamped the village. Despite huge public opposition to Maudsley Park, council officers recommended the plans be passed. But at a planning meeting last week, district councillors ignored their advice and turned the plans by Helical (Liphook) Ltd down. #1 / 23-11-06