Inspirational new Warwick care home a step closer as construction begins
An inspirational new £7.5 million dementia specialist care home in Warwick is a step closer, as WCS Care officially marked the start of construction with a ground-breaking ceremony.
Designed for the Warwickshire-based charity by Warwick-based architects Robothams and built by Deeley Construction, the state-of-the-art care home will replace the former Woodside home on Spinney Hill, which closed for demolition in 2017 as part of the multi-million-pound redevelopment.
Residents, staff, and invited guests – including the Mayor of Warwick, Cllr Stephen Cross, and Cllr Richard Edgington (Conservative, Warwick, Emscote Ward) – gathered on Friday 27 April 2018 to celebrate the turning of the first sod at the site, which will become a deluxe village-style experience for 72 older people and people with dementia.
Due to open in Summer 2019, the new home will include family-scale households for up to seven people, with ensuite showers and toilets for everyone.
There will also be a relaxing spa, pamper salon, deluxe cinema, shop, café, and fully-staffed, traditional launderette, as well as table tennis and companion cycling for two – all designed to ensure the people who live there enjoy life as much as possible.
The new home will feature the latest technology that will enhance and integrate into daily life without being intrusive, including circadian rhythm lighting and night-time acoustic monitoring to help ensure a good night’s sleep.
Smart phone apps connected to mobile care monitoring will mean carers spend more time with residents. It’s linked to a Relatives’ Gateway, where people can check and interact with their loved one’s care 24-hours a day, wherever they are.
Christine Asbury, WCS Care’s Chief Executive, said: ‘The excitement is building as construction work begins on our inspirational new home in Warwick, which will feature many of the ideas and approaches that have already had a positive impact on health and wellbeing in our other homes.
‘Driven by our ambition to make every day well lived for residents, we’re creating a home that will push the boundaries of innovation and creativity, while - at the same time - providing a homely, family environment, supported by high quality care around the clock.’
Former Woodside residents like 90-year-old Val Hase are living at another of WCS Care’s homes, Castle Brook in Kenilworth, while construction takes place at Warwick.
Val said: ‘Woodside was a lovely home and I had lots of happy times there, but this new home will be another chapter and an opportunity to create lots of new memories.
‘It’ll be really exciting to see things take shape and I can’t wait to have a look around when it’s finished next year.’
The name of the new home in Warwick, built with support from a £5.9 million funding deal from the Royal Bank of Scotland, will be revealed in the coming months.
Kenny Nelson, Relationship Director at Royal Bank of Scotland, said: ‘The plans for WCS Care’s new home are very impressive and I am pleased that we are able to support the creation of such a vital new facility.
‘The team provides an excellent standard of care from each of its properties and we are looking forward to working with them to aid the completion of this development.’