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DUTCH-INSPIRED DEMENTIA CARE VILLAGE OPENS IN CHESHIRE

A pioneering new village for people living with dementia has opened in Willaston, South Cheshire.

Inspired by a Dutch ‘household’ care model, Richmond Villages Willaston is amongst one of the first specialist villages in the UK to champion community living for those with dementia.

The model is designed to help residents to remain active and retain their independence. Living in small households, they are able to continue day-to-day activities in a safe and social environment.

The new specialist Richmond Village consists of six households, each designed with accessibility in mind. Households have six en-suite bedrooms with private patios, as well as shared living areas and safe outdoor spaces.

In place of traditional support services such as cooks and cleaners, residents are supported by household assistants, who help residents with meal-planning, cooking, cleaning, gardening and organising activities around their own interests and care needs.

Designed with leading experts in care, the village has introduced innovative new technology. At night, residents will be ‘acoustically monitored’ using an auditory system. This observes noise levels in residents’ rooms while they sleep, alerting staff if sounds exceed or drop below expected levels, and otherwise allowing residents to retain their independence with an undisturbed night’s sleep.

Philippa Fieldhouse, Managing Director for Richmond Villages, explains: “People across the country are working hard to care for loved ones with dementia. We want to provide the right support, when it’s needed.

“This Dutch household care model has had strong results in the Netherlands and is an exciting step forward for UK dementia care. We want to help people lead fulfilling lives, supporting them to retain their independence and connection with the community, so that they can live well with dementia.

“The learnings from this village will shape the future of care across our other homes and villages, offering people with dementia the right care for them.”

This new approach to care reflects findings from Richmond Villages’ new Strength in Community: The Future of UK Dementia Care report, based on the experiences of 1,071 people who currently care or have previously cared for a loved one with dementia, conducted by YouGov.

New residents will be assessed in their own home by Richmond’s dementia experts to replicate as much of their daily routine and home environment in the village as possible.

Set in secure landscaped grounds, the village also hosts a restaurant with private dining, hair salon, nail bar and treatment rooms, and a children’s play area for residents to welcome their families.

In addition to households, the retirement village has a 35-bed care home for dedicated care for those in the more advanced stages of dementia.

Elaine Smith, Manager at Richmond Villages Willaston, adds: “We’re really proud of this village. Everything’s been designed to provide a safe and secure home, where residents can maintain their independence and build new friendships.

“As well as the households, we have great outdoor spaces – including our gardens and the woodland walk – so the village is really unique and gives residents an important sense of freedom.

“The village has been built with families in mind, providing peace of mind and being able to welcome visitors of all ages.”

The report found that nine in 10 carers say that maintaining independence helped their loved ones live a longer and happier life, while 42 per cent agreed it helped manage their condition.

In addition, over a third of carers also felt that dementia care should involve the wider local community, with over two thirds saying they would welcome support assisting their loved one while out and about.

The report also acknowledges challenges carers face when looking after loved ones at home, with three quarters finding it challenging to keep them safe from harm. Nearly half struggle to adapt their home to make it more dementia friendly, while a similar number say they do not feel confident in providing sufficient care at home.

Richmond Villages Willaston is the latest development from Richmond Villages, a part of Bupa, which operates ten luxury retirement villages across the UK. The dementia care village is now welcoming residents and viewings are being carried out in accordance with government guidelines.

It is the second site in the area, with Richmond Nantwich providing retirement living and care in the nearby village. Supporting the local community for over 25 years, Richmond Nantwich is rated as ‘Good’ by the Care Quality Commission – and ‘Outstanding’ for its domiciliary care.

Nearly 210,000 people will develop dementia this year – equivalent to one every three minutes. With an ageing population, cases are on the rise. Over 850,000 people are currently living with dementia in the UK, with numbers expected to nearly double to 1.6 million within the next twenty years.

For further information, and to book a viewing of the new dementia specialist village, please visit:

www.richmond-villages.com.

About Richmond Villages:

One of the pioneers in bringing the retirement village concept to the UK, Richmond Villages has been designing, building and operating its own villages for 25 years. The company already operates ten luxury retirement villages located in Cheshire, Derbyshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire and Warwickshire.

Richmond Villages is one of the leaders in the retirement living sector and has an established reputation for the provision of quality service and care and won numerous awards.

For further information about Richmond Villages, please visit richmond-villages.com or telephone 0800 0987 094.

About Bupa:

Bupa has some 125 care homes, as well as ten Richmond Villages. The business also comprises Bupa UK Insurance, the leading health insurer in the UK with 2.3 million customers; Bupa Dental UK, a major dental provider operating more than 430 practices; Bupa Health Services, health clinics and wellness centres; and Bupa Cromwell Hospital a complex care hospital in London.

For more information, visit:

www.bupa.co.uk.

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