In this edition of Meet the team, we speak with Douglas Snowden, Independent Living Housing Officer, who shares an inside look at the work of the Independent Living Team — what they do, how they do it, and why it matters.

Can you briefly describe what your team does?

Independent Living Housing Officers (ILHOs) manage all our Independent Living Housing schemes — what used to be known as Sheltered Housing. All our schemes are specifically designed for people over the age of 55.

We are known as Intensive Housing Officers simply because we deal with the management of the buildings and the tenancies of everyone living in them. There are seven of us in the team and a total of 15 schemes.

What does a typical day look like for your team?

During the course of a typical day, we would be taking enquiries from residents, families and friends. We oversee work carried out by contractors, including cleaning, grounds maintenance, repairs (to name a few).

We also deal with complaints, anti-social behaviour, tenancy and non-tenancy related issues, and we ensure the buildings are safe and secure.

How do you measure success – what tells you that you’re doing a good job?

We know when we are doing well when we get a ‘quiet’ day or very few people contact us. When most people are happy and content, it’s a good indication that we are doing all the right things.

Can you share a recent story where your team made a real difference?

A lady moved into Evernden House some time ago, making a completely new start in life. She had a passion for gardening and loved social activities.

Some of the garden at Evernden was overgrown and not very pretty. We decided it would benefit this lady to be able to work on the garden — and she has transformed it into a beautiful, colourful area.
This encouraged other residents to participate, and now most of the garden spaces around Evernden House are prize-winning areas!

With a little encouragement, this lady has also been key to organising coffee mornings and other social events very successfully. Evernden House, Major Clarke House, Crown Court and Jempsons all enjoy regular social events now, which are very well attended.

Cranbrook has become a very good community hub as a result.

What challenges do you face in your daily work?

There are occasionally disputes between residents which sometimes escalate. These are times when you have to be at your best at understanding the cause and identifying a solution — which is not always possible owing to human nature. But having a grasp of the diversities and an understanding of background is a very useful tool.

What skills or qualities are essential for someone in your team?

Having an open mind, an understanding of the vulnerabilities that often come as you get older. Having empathy, sympathy and compassion are, I believe, essential requirements for the basics of this job.

An understanding of housing law, policies and procedures, knowing what support is available, and having some knowledge regarding rents, tenancies, building maintenance and fire safety — all are needed for this role, to name just a few.

What’s one thing you’re proud of as a team?

The one major thing I am proud of is our team’s ability to always be supportive of each other and always willing to share experiences and knowledge. We are, in my opinion, the best team ever.

Can you describe the weekly compliance checks and monthly risk assessments – what do they involve, and why are they important?

Safety of our residents is highly important, and we carry out a range of regular checks and risk assessments. These cover items such as weekly fire alarm testing to a monthly building safety inspection, and six-monthly fire drills.

How do you support residents who may be vulnerable or have additional needs?

If residents have specific needs or particular vulnerabilities, we explore ways to make changes through some internal support like Asset Management, or external services such as Social Services by means of referrals.

What does collaboration with outside agencies like Social Services or Age UK usually look like?

We often get involved with external agencies such as Social Services when we make referrals for residents we have concerns about. In more severe cases we use safeguarding referrals.

This leads to assessments and support being put in place where needed. Sometimes, Social Services rely on us for further information to achieve the best results, because we generally have some good personal knowledge about our residents.