In the UK:

  • Today – 12.3 million people in the UK are over the age of 65 (19% of population)
  • By 2043 – 17.4m people will be over the age of 65 (24% of the population)
  • There is a growing demand for elderly living accommodation
  • A recognised national shortage of accommodation for older people, specifically care homes

In East Cambridgeshire:

  • The proportion of people over the age of 75 will rise by 93% by 2031 (versus 2011)
  • The proportion of people over the age of 85+ years will grow by 144% by 2031 (versus 2011)
  • East Cambs already has the lowest provision of nursing/care homes per population in all of Cambridgeshire

There is a critical need for elderly living accommodation nationwide in Britain, and especially in East Cambridgeshire, yet we do not have the level of housing required to meet to the residential needs of an aging population.

Elderly living accommodation, including care homes, allows for the elderly to be supported in later years, receiving the care they need, allowing them to retain as much independence as is possible, and age with dignity. It also produces better healthcare outcomes, owing to the managed care regimen of residents, and enables them to remain in an area close to their families.

There are also a considerable number of other benefits. Residents of elderly living developments suffer from lower levels of loneliness and isolation, have home maintenance needs taken care of, and can live in accommodation that is more suited to their needs.

There are also secondary benefits to providing the right kind of accommodation for elderly people, such as freeing up residential homes for first time buyers and young families, reducing demand on NHS services locally – with on-site nursing providing patients in house support as the primary provider, reducing bed blocking in hospitals and overall reliance on hospital services – and the creation of new jobs locally in the care sector.

In summary, there are a vast array of benefits that new elderly living developments deliver, both for residents themselves and for local communities. We believe that West Curve Care Home will deliver substantial benefit for the Ely community, and the East Cambridgeshire community, and look forward to working with stakeholders to deliver the best scheme possible.