SHAUN LOWTHORPE Norfolk County Council has produced a report looking at provision for elderly people and the future demands likely to shape their care needs. This is a summary, which divides the county into 16 areas grouped around key towns.

SHAUN LOWTHORPE

Norfolk County Council has produced a report looking at provision for elderly people and the future demands likely to shape their care needs. This is a summary, which divides the county into 16 areas grouped around key towns.

t Acle: No housing with care; sheltered accommodation is lower than the county average.

t Aylsham: Provision of care home places is higher than other areas of Norfolk; good provision of places for people with dementia.

t Dereham: Care home provisions much higher than any other area; no housing with care; additional care beds likely to be provided in Mattishall.

t Diss: Lowest provision of care places and housing with care than any other area; average provision of sheltered housing.

t Downham Market: Too few housing-with-care units to give people a real choice; provision of care beds registered for dementia will not meet the needs forecast for 2020.

t Fakenham: Higher proportion of older people than most other areas; tentative plans for developments on former Wells Cottage Hospital site.

t Great Yarmouth: Highest percentage of single pensioner households; provision of sheltered housing well above average.

t Holt: People from Holt area tend to use care homes in Fakenham and North Walsham; recruiting care workers in this area is very difficult.

t Hunstanton: No housing with care; provision of preventative services for people who would otherwise fund themselves may be helpful in keeping people in their own home.

t King's Lynn: Level of sheltered accommodation above average; provision of care home beds/ housing with care is below average; more beds registered for dementia than it is likely to need.

t Loddon: Provision of care beds registered for dementia inadequate to meet current and future need; there are 37 housing-with-care units.

t North Walsham: Higher than average proportion of older people; rates of people over 65 supported by the department second only to Dereham.

t Norwich, greater Norwich: Home ownership by older people lower than any other area; provision of sheltered housing units is greater in Norwich than anywhere else.

t Swaffham: Provision of sheltered housing units lower than average; opportunities for joint developments with Norfolk Primary Care Trust after review of nursing beds at Swaffham Cottage Hospital.

t Thetford: Just 15pc of population are over 65 - lowest rate in the county; income deprivation affecting older people higher than Norfolk average; sheltered housing provision greater then average.

t Wymondham: Provision of care home/housing with care is slightly higher than average; Ogden Court will provide 14 short-term nursing care beds.