Praise for investment in new facilities at care homes in Hartlepool

Hartlepool Borough Council bosses have made number of improvements to care homes across the area to improve facilities for older people.

In February last year councils across the country were given allocations from the Government’s Improved Better Care Fund to improve care home provision for older people.

To date £217,000 has been spent in care homes across Hartlepool, with most being one-off funding made available for improvements.

Examples of work completed include in Elwick Grange Care Home where a dementia-friendly cafe has been created, along with a retro post office area and a 1940s-themed washroom and kitchen.

At Clifton House four iPads have been purchased for residents to use, to keep in touch with their families, pursue any of their own interests or learn new skills.

In Gretton Court more dementia friendly room furnishings have been purchased for all resident’s bedrooms to enable them to be more independent.

In Lindisfarne Care Home the outdoor area to the back of the building has been landscaped, while wheelchair friendly and raised planters have been built and new garden furniture purchased.

In Queens Meadow Care Home new lighting has been installed in corridors, along with an indoor garden area in the entrance to the dementia unit.

At Rossmere Park Care Home a conservatory has been created at the front of the building, which has already been used for many events.

At Sheraton Court and Brierton Lodge the gardens have been transformed into sensory environments with areas of stimulation for all residents, including dementia-friendly areas.

Finally, at Wynyard Woods a replica village, complete with shops, a post office, a village green and other familiar scenes, has been built to help people living with dementia.

A report to go before the council on Thursday from director of adult and community based services Jill Harrison said the improvements have benefited the homes in the area.

It said: “All homes have been able to demonstrate how this significant capital investment has positively impacted on the home and residents.

“Care home managers have been very appreciative of the continued support from the local authority, and have enjoyed being able to carry out capital works that go above and beyond general maintenance within their homes.

“The adult and community-based services committee has identified care home provision for older people as a priority owing to the role of care homes in supporting vulnerable older people.”

Nic Marko, Local Democracy Reporting Service