Member Article

£6.2m specialist dementia care home opens in Wallsend

The North East’s newest and most advanced specialist care home for people living with dementia has opened its doors to its first residents.

Lord Curry of Kirkharle and Coun Cath Davis, Deputy Chairman of North Tyneside Council, attended an open day on Saturday (July 16) to officially open the new purpose-built £6.2 million Eothen Homes facility in Wallsend.

Local people and families seeking the right care facility for relatives with dementia were able to have a look around and meet the staff to talk about their needs.

Eothen Homes, a Christian charity with a proven track record of providing quality care for the elderly, is bringing a new concept in dementia care to the region with a ‘family home’ environment, where freedom, security and space are integral to the new building.

The home offers four households, each providing accommodation for 13 people. Every household has its own kitchen, lounge and dining area so residents can live a life as close as possible to the one they did before.

Eothen Homes’ Chief Executive Jenny Hearl said: “Our Wallsend home was designed with the latest research into living with dementia at its heart and it’s inspired by the internationally renowned Hogewey Village in the Netherlands, which is recognised worldwide for the quality of its dementia care.

“We’ve also worked closely with training organisation Dementia Care Matters to create a ground-breaking model of care, where each person’s quality of life is the top priority, with relationship-centred support involving their family and friends.”

The new model of care uses “the butterfly approach” that places people rather than tasks and schedules at the centre of activity. Daily life is just like being at home where people can get up when they want and make drinks and snacks at leisure, with staff dedicated to each household interacting and on hand whenever necessary.

Reminiscence areas in the home and grounds include an old-style car and touring caravan to evoke memories of holidays and fun times.

The Eothen, Wallsend home also has one bedroom flats to rent for people over 65 who want to live independently or who have a spouse living in the home.

Lord Curry of Kirkharle, who officially declared the new home open, said: “At a time of much change it is to be commended that Eothen has chosen to invest in such an innovative new home that is revolutionising dementia care. Each of us deserves the best quality of life possible and it is clear that is exactly what’s on offer here.”

Coun Cath Davis, said: “We’re proud Eothen Homes chose North Tyneside for this ground-breaking development.

“Putting people first is central to the new home, and we’re looking forward to welcoming people from across the region into North Tyneside to benefit from the fantastic levels of care it will provide.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Astute.Work .