Martin Hodges, Health and Housing Research Associate

Martin leads on Care & Repair England’s Catch 22 Programme which aims to improve the evidence base demonstrating how housing interventions can generate positive health and wellbeing outcomes for older and disabled people as well as conferring savings to the health and care sectors. The ambition for the programme, through broad research partnerships, is the production of credible and robust evidence that both validates the importance of housing services for older people and is compelling for commissioners.

Before joining Care & Repair England Martin worked for a large local authority in a variety of roles but had a particular interest in developing policy and practice that enabled older and disabled people to live independently in their homes for as long as possible. This included services that had a focus on disabled adaptations, energy efficiency and property condition.

In addition to research, Martin has a strong wish to support student training so has lectured on BSc and MSc courses at two Universities principally on housing policy and housing issues affecting older people. He has a strong interest in housing associations and has previously served as an independent member within the governance arrangements of a national housing association.

Martin is also an independent complaint investigator in adult social care and children services operating in six council areas. This experience regularly reveals the importance of communication with service users and that they have a voice in how services are developed and delivered. This theme has directly influenced how the Catch 22 initiative has developed

Email:  [email protected]

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Rita Newton, Sponsored PhD Researcher  

A Charted Quantity Surveyor and Inclusive Designer by professional and academic training, Rita is passionate about the design of the physical environment to improve the lives of disabled and older people. For example, Rita has worked on projects which have made social housing more adaptable and useable by a wider range of tenants particularly those with very specific needs; written guidance on the design of streets with older people in mind which was adopted by the World Health Organisation; and supported local groups to have a voice and to campaign for change in their local environment, such as through the presence of more seating in public places, or longer road-crossing times.

Rita is now extending this interest and undertaking a PhD concerning how people with dementia live in mainstream housing, particularly use of outside garden space, as a collaboration between the University of Manchester, Lancaster University, and Care & Repair England,  funded through the Economic and Social Sciences Research Council (ESRC).

email: c/o [email protected]