Heaver House in Croydon specialises in caring for those with dementia Photo: tullydeath.com
A Croydon MP will formally open a new residential home for the elderly this Friday.
Gavin Barwell, MP for Central Croydon, will unveil a commemorative plaque on Addington Heights Resource Centre, the third of the council’s new facilities for older people in the borough, followed by a ceremonial cake-cutting by Councillor Margaret Mead, cabinet member for health & adult social care.
The modern building which includes a 50-bed residential home,; a 24-place day centre and a specialist day care unit, was built as part of a £38 million investment by Croydon Council in refurbishing residiential care centres for the elderly.
The council emphasies that the day care activities services on site are tailored to promote health care awareness and offer physical and mental stimulation for older people living at home. These include a midday meal, assisted bathing, visiting healthcare professionals and companionship. Within the new centre residents can experience the highest quality accommodation, with en-suite bathrooms, as well as comfortable lounges, social and recreational facilities, sensory gardens, and medical and therapeutic facilities. Work on the site of a former Addington Heights residential home began in October 2008 and was completed in May 2010 with users coming in just a month later.
Four new centres have been developed to replace six old care homes, Coleby Court, Langley Oaks, Addington Heights, Stroud Green Lodge, Brigstock Manor and Cheriton House – that were not fit for modern standards of care.
The first two homes, Heavers Resource Centre in Selhurst and Fellows Court in Addiscombe were opened in August and October 2008. Heavers is fast becoming known as the flagship centre for dementia sufferers – the only one of its kind in the country – offering integrated health and social care for older people with mental frailties all on one site. Fellows Court, is an extra care housing development for the vulnerable older people, with physical disability requiring a high level of support. Residents there are encouraged to live a healthy lifestyle and have easy access to medical services.
The last of the quartet, Langley Oaks Resource Centre in Selsdon, will open towards the end of October. All the new facilities were developed in partnership with Caring 4 Croydon, a consortium formed of three shareholder members: Geoffrey Osborne Ltd, Eldon Housing Association and UME Investment Co.
Councillor Margaret Mead welcomed the new resource centre, saying that it “will have an enormously positive impact on the lives of people who require high levels of care. They are the final parts of our ‘homes for the future’ programme that has been designed to radically improve the standard of living for hundreds of our most needy elderly residents.”
