Local area impact assessment of retirement living and assisted living developments

McCarthy and Stone commissioned the Institute of Public Care at Oxford Brookes University to undertake a local area economic impact assessment of Retirement Living and Assisted Living Extra Care developments across England, Wales and Scotland. This project aimed to provide independent, objective and robust evidence about the extent to which there is a case for Retirement Living and Assisted Living Extra Care schemes in terms of the local economic and wider social impact of these schemes.

IPC used a range of methods to obtain evidence about the local economic and other impacts of retirement living and assisted living schemes, both quantitative and qualitative. IPC explored the economic impact on local areas from two perspectives: a view of the impact of a sample of schemes and a look at the impact in a different way through following the pathway of a number of residents into and through a scheme. A representative sample of ten schemes was drawn from across England, Scotland and Wales.

The nature of individual schemes was examined, including construction and operation, including staffing. Interviews were conducted with a sample of owners residing in the schemes to obtain quantitative and qualitative data about their current spending and perceived changes in their circumstances following their move to the scheme.

Comparisons of economic impact were made between the McCarthy and Stone schemes with general housing where possible and relevant.