Karaoke and cake as Kettering MP visits sheltered housing residents

Residents of a Kettering sheltered housing home have welcomed their MP, treating him to cake and an afternoon of karaoke.

Philip Hollobone MP for Kettering popped into Sarnia House for ‘Starts at Home Day’ – a national celebration of the support services for older people.

Sarnia House in Rockingham Road is managed by charity The Abbeyfield Society that has 69 sheltered housing schemes across the UK.

Mr Hollobone said: “I was pleased to have the opportunity to visit Sarnia House and take part in the Starts at Home Day celebrations.

"I really enjoyed meeting the residents and seeing first-hand the value of sheltered housing schemes such as Abbeyfield within the local community, where older people can be independent but have the security and comfort of companionship and the support of a dedicated and committed staff team.

"I would like to congratulate sheltered housing manager, Diane Burnham, for her caring approach and for presiding over the happy and welcoming atmosphere at Sarnia House.

“Rising utilities and the cost of living crisis will have a huge impact on sheltered housing schemes such as Sarnia House and their residents, and we must do everything we can to ensure they are able to continue to provide a warm, safe and happy place for older people to live.”

Mr Hollobone’s visit included a tour of the facilities. He met with some of the house’s residents, and discussed with staff how the house supports the residents day-to-day; how it engages with its local community; the importance of sheltered housing to UK society; and the challenges faced by sheltered housing providers, particularly around the cost of living crisis.

Residents enjoy shared living, dining and outdoor spaces and can be as independent as they want to be with optional services and additional support on hand 24/7.

In 2021, building experts BRE Group calculated that inadequate housing was costing the NHS at least £1.4bn per year. It is estimated that specialist housing for older people also delivers an annual saving to the taxpayer of around £3,000 per person through reduced reliance on health and social care services.