Kingston Council are another step closer to beginning work on the new 80-bed dementia home, with the demolition of the existing site expected to begin in January 2020
In March 2018 Kingston Council gave the green light for the new £13.4m dementia home in Brown’s Road, Surbiton to be built.
Following further consultation, in June 2019 the council’s Development and Control Committee granted planning permission to build the home and this month the Children’s and Adults’ Care and Education Committee authorised the implementation of the construction stage.
With an ageing population and increased demand for health and social care services in the borough, the new dementia home will help provide care for older people with dementia in Kingston, as well as generate income for the council from those residents who are able to fund their own care.
Stephen Taylor, director of Adult Social Services at Kingston Council, said: “Kingston Council is committed to ensuring that there is high-quality care available for older residents who need additional support.
“It is estimated that more than 1,500 residents in the borough are living with dementia and this figure is expected to rise to more than 2,100 people by 2027.
“The council currently relies on the private sector market to provide most of the bed-based care and this process is becoming increasingly expensive. Our new, state of the art facility will allow us to be more cost-efficient, whilst responding to the ever-growing demand for services by providing the very best in dementia care for our residents.”
The Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC), an international centre of knowledge and expertise dedicated to improving the lives of people with dementia conducted an independent review of the plans for the new home.
Dr Martin Quirke from the Dementia Services Development Centre at the University of Stirling, said: “The overall scheme sets very high standards of dementia accessible design.
“It includes several excellent examples of the application of research evidenced dementia design principles that will support residents to overcome physical and cognitive impairments, helping them to maintain independence for longer.”
The DSDC review endorsed a number of key features of the design plans agreeing that the location of the site is well placed to support and encourage resident independence, the ’household’ layout of each unit has been well-considered and that plans for sunny and sheltered spaces on all floor levels, as well as south-facing gardens, can have a positive impact on residents overall wellbeing.
