Show apartments at a state-of-the-art care home in Kenilworth for people with dementia have been officially opened, as the £10.5 million development nears completion.
Run by Warwickshire-based charity WCS Care, Castle Brook will be home to 84 people when it welcomes the first residents in December 2016.
Cllr Jose Compton, portfolio holder for adult social care at Warwickshire County Council, cut the ribbon to launch the show apartments and rooms, which are now available to view and book in advance.
Castle Brook will include ensuite rooms throughout and will be one of only a small number of care homes in the county to offer double apartments for residents wanting to live together, or to provide extra space for relatives who are visiting.
There will be vibrant community facilities including an on-site shop to pick up groceries, a coffee shop serving drinks and cakes, a hair salon, relaxing spa, traditional laundrette and in-house cinema, all created to help residents confidently carry on doing the things they’ve always done.
Every aspect of Castle Brook has been designed to promote freedom and exploration, incorporating many aspects of daily life outside a care home in a safe and secure environment.
For residents who enjoy being active, there will be a full and varied activities and exercise programme seven days a week that also promotes the benefits of spending time outdoors, where there will be an abundance of secure space including gardens, a walking path and water features.
There will also be a four-wheeled bicycle for two that will give residents, friends and family the opportunity to share and create memories together on a specially-designed cycle track.
Castle Brook will include state-of-the-art technology, designed to enhance and integrate into daily life without being intrusive.
Fingerprint recognition for visitors and staff, intelligent lifts that appear when someone stands in front of them, and advanced night-time monitoring software that contributes to a better night’s sleep are among some of the advanced features being installed from the outset.
In addition, there will be an internet-based care system that includes a gateway for relatives to check their loved one’s care at any time, from anywhere with an internet connection.
Christine Asbury, WCS Care’s chief executive, says: "Castle Brook will challenge many people’s ideas about what a care home is and the quality of life they can expect.
"We believe in creating vibrant, bustling environments led by the residents who live there – it’s about independence and ensuring people continue to do the things they enjoy doing and have always done, as well as providing new opportunities they hadn’t considered; Castle Brook will be no different."
Cllr Jose Compton, portfolio holder for adult social care at Warwickshire County Council, adds: "Castle Brook is not only very impressive in the care that it will offer its residents but also in the support that it will be able to offer to their families.
"The county council is committed to ensuring that residents of care homes continue to have access to the activities that they have always enjoyed, so I am delighted at the range of options that will be available to Castle Brook's residents."
