Living in an almshouse can increase the longevity of its residents by up to two and a half years compared to their counterparts in the general population — ScienceDaily

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The almshouses provide affordable community housing for local people in need of housing. They are usually designed around a courtyard to provide “community spirit”, which is synonymous with the almshouse movement. They offer independent living but provide friendship and support when needed.

By analyzing up to 100 years of resident records from various almshouses in England, the research suggests that living in these communities can reduce the negative impact on health and social well-being commonly experienced by older people in lower socioeconomic groups, particularly those people who live in isolation.

The results are very encouraging. They show that, for several of the almshouses included in the study, residents can expect to live as long as the wealthiest members of the general population despite coming from the bottom quintile. This shows that the disparity in longevity and health outcomes could be mitigated even after reaching retirement age, provided an adequate social infrastructure can be established.

The report, authored by Professor Ben Rickayzen, Dr David Smith, Dr Anastasia Vikhanova and Alison Benzimra, concludes that almshouses could help the Government’s goals of reducing inequalities in mortality, which are seen between socioeconomic groups, by reducing the social isolation experienced by many in the older population.

Entitled ‘Almshouse Longevity Study: Can living in an almshouse lead to a longer life?’, the report’s key findings are:

• Residents of almshouses in England receive a longevity boost relative to people of the same socioeconomic group in the general population.
• The best-performing almshouses in the study so far have shown an increase in longevity that increases life expectancy to that of a life in the second-highest socioeconomic quintile, a remarkable result.
• As an example, the authors estimate that a 73-year-old man joining an almshouse like The Charterhouse today would receive a 2.4-year increase in longevity (an additional 15% of future life at the time of joining) compared to their peers from the same socioeconomic group, and 0.7 years compared to an average of 73 years in the general population.
• This increased longevity could be due to both the strong sense of community and social belonging within the almshouses leading to better physical and mental health. Improved well-being helps mitigate loneliness, which is endemic in older age groups.

Professor Ben Rickayzen, Professor of Actuarial Science at Bayes Business School, said:

“It is well known that, on average, the lower a person’s socioeconomic status, the shorter their life expectancy. Interestingly, however, our research has found that this need not be the case. We found that many residents of almshouses receive increased longevity compared to their peers of the same socioeconomic status in the general population.

“More research is needed to determine exactly what factors lead to long-lived almshouse residents; however, we posit that a sense of community is the most powerful ingredient. For example, a common theme within the houses of charities included in the study is that they encourage residents to undertake social activities and responsibilities on behalf of their fellow residents, which is likely to increase their sense of belonging and give them a greater sense of purpose in their daily lives, while also mitigates social isolation.

“We would encourage the government to invest in retirement communities, such as almshouses, which would be in line with their overall leveling agenda. While this agenda is commonly associated with improving equality at the regional level, it is important that leveling should also aim to combat health inequalities experienced by people from the lowest socioeconomic groups across the country There is an opportunity to improve the Government’s leveling agenda by incorporating the best features of communal living into its policy social housing This should make a significant difference to the quality of life experienced by the older population across the UK.

“The results of this research are important as they could offer solutions to the social care problems currently being experienced in the UK.”

Alison Benzimra, co-author of the report and head of research at United St Saviour’s Charity, said:

“Many almshouse trustees and staff anecdotally believe that living in almshouses is beneficial to residents. The results of this study demonstrate that the community spirit provided by almshouses actually results in hope These findings are encouraging for those who live and work in the almshouse community and provide motivation to continue exploring what it is about almshouse physical design and support services that result in positive outcomes. for older residents in our modern society”.

Nick Phillips, CEO of The Almshouse Association, said:

“We are delighted to read this report. It is further evidence that the almshouse model, 1,000 years after its creation, seems to be adding something special to the lives of residents. More and more research suggests that this The community housing model seems to be the right one for the future. This must now raise the question: where are the philanthropists to carry this strong model of charity housing into the next century?”

Susan Kay, chief executive of the Dunhill Medical Trust, said:

“It has been great to support this work and see it take its place in the broader body of work on the characteristics of age-friendly living spaces and supportive communities. A life of a hundred years is now a realistic expectation and we We need to harness this learning to create the homes and communities that will be so important to the health and well-being of all of us.”

Nigel Hulme, a resident of United St Saviour’s Charity, explained how much living in the almshouse has helped him in his later years:

“Moving to Hopton’s Gardens has been a blessing. Having a roof over my head has helped me deal with my addiction issues, and having the support of the staff and my neighbors has made my recovery possible.”

The study was sponsored by the Dunhill Medical Trust and Justham Trust and was supported by The Almshouse Association.