Housing options appraisal tool (HOOP)
This newly designed online tool, developed by EAC, uses a simple question & answer technique to help older people think about different aspects of their home and how they live in it. It then provides the user with a wide selection of resources and materials aimed specifically at any problems they have identified. We call the tool 'HOOP' for short, standing for Housing Options for Older People.
HOOP aims to be completely neutral in terms of whether users should stay put or move home, and the information resources and suggestions offered in the online version cover both - aids & adaptations, repairs & improvements, support and care services, companionship and activities to help people maintain independence and quality of life at home; information about sheltered & retirement housing, extra care housing, and even care homes, for those who want to consider moving.
HOOP has proved extremely useful to advisors in many agencies, providing an easy starting point for a wide-ranging discussion around an older client's housing situation and care/support needs. The HOOP questionnaire is also available in printed form.
Also available is an extended version of HOOP, which encourages more detailed discussion about clients' housing situations, helps them prioritise any problems identified, and teases out their information needs at each stage. If you plan to make use of this, we recommend reading our report on the development of HOOP, which contains a detailed assessment of when and where it proved most useful to older people.
A brand new feature of HOOP online enables users to email their completed questionnaire to an EAC advisor who will then telephone to offer additional information or guidance. We are keen to work with other information and advice agencies who would like to provide (or pilot) a similar service to HOOP users.
Download HOOP questionnaireDownload extended HOOP questionnaire
Read a short piece about HOOPDownload a report about the development of HOOP