(Social: ESG Report 2024/25)
Case study: Intensive housing managment
This case study details successful intervention to address the complex needs of a customer presenting significant physical and mental health issues, alongside a property in extremely poor and unsafe condition. Through a coordinated approach involving health, social care, and housing services, the customer’s health, wellbeing, and living were significantly improved, enabling them to regain independence and live more safely.
About the customer
The customer was referred to the intensive housing management service due to a combination of factors indicating a high level of vulnerability including:
- Poor physical health – Limited mobility, dependency on aids, and irregular medication adherence
- Poor mental health – Characterised by withdrawal, medication non-compliance, and sleep disturbance
- Hazardous living environment – Characterised by extreme clutter, lack of essential amenities, and safety hazards
- Initially customer existing in one room – Sleeping, cooking and eating there. And not accessing bathing or toileting facilities.
Intervention approach
A multi-faceted approach was used to address the customer’s complex needs, including:
- Physical health
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- Healthcare access and management:
- Facilitated GP care, attended appointments, and coordinated investigations
- Supported use of patient transport to promote attendance at vital appointments.
- Mobility and safety:
- Referrals to occupational therapy and physiotherapy led to provision of essential aids and adaptations
- The property was made accessible through installation of grab rails.
- Care support – Social care assessment resulted in the implementation of a daily care package to administer medication and four times weekly support for daily living activities and accessing the community.
- Healthcare access and management:
- Mental health
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- Healthcare engagement:
- Supported the customer to re-engage with mental healthcare and re-establish medication
- Customer waiting to be assessed for neuro diversities.
- Therapy – Supported customer to attend therapies to promote decluttering with psychotherapist
- Environment optimisation – Improved sleep quality through sleep hygiene practices and decluttering.
- Healthcare engagement:
- Safety
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- Fire safety:
- Arranged pre and post-intervention fire safety assessments and implemented necessary measures
- Arranged provision of telecare supported living practices to reduce fire risks.
- Property hazards – Addressed property damage caused by the customer’s physical limitations and removed external hazards
- Gas to property which had been capped off for safety reasons was reconnected and gas central heating system installed
- Full electrical rewire
- New bathroom provided with aids and adaptations to promote safe bathing and toileting
- New kitchen provided and support to ensure planned works could be carried out with minimum distress.
- Fire safety:
- Finances
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- Debt management – Established payment plans with utility providers and addressed non-priority debts
- Financial empowerment:
- Supported the customer in opening a new bank account, setting up direct debits, and preventing predatory lending
- Promoted using banking apps to better manage finances.
- Home environment
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- Decluttering and cleaning – Worked intensively with the customer to declutter and clean the property, achieving a significant improvement in living conditions
- Arranged and supported pest control to rid property of vermin and implemented hygienic patterns of living to reduce risk of return
- Essential furnishings:
- Provided support to purchase a bed, enhancing the customer’s comfort and wellbeing
- Provided support to purchase white goods.
- Avoided legal action being taken regarding historical hoarding thus reducing stress to customer, and directly improving mental health.
Outcomes
The intensive housing management intervention resulted in a substantial improvement in the customer’s overall circumstances:
- Improved physical health – Through medication management and increased mobility with adaptations
- Enhanced mental health – Improved sleep quality and overall wellbeing through medication adherence, environmental improvements and accessing therapies
- Safe and comfortable home – A clean, decluttered, and safe living environment was established with defined spaces for sleeping, cooking and personal hygiene/bathing
- Increased independence – The customer gained the ability to access the community with carers and manage daily living tasks with increased confidence
- Enhanced financial stability – Improved financial management through benefit maximisation and debt reduction.
