A West Yorkshire care home is set to re-open this Autumn as a dementia care home designed around allowing residents to maintain their independence.
“Our current site is really only for looking after people for a day, when we re-open we will be able to house them on a more permanent basis,” says Charlie Sykes, current carer at Knowl Park House.
Knowl Park House, on Crowlees Road, will be able to house up to 40 residents and provide engaging activities to allow a level of independence while being cared for by the site’s specialist staff.
“It’s so important that those living in these places are allowed to live freely, it’s a care home not a prison”, are the words of dementia care specialist Allison Pearson.
“Dementia is a growing issue in the UK, it’s vital that we do everything we can to make the lives of those living with it as comfortable as possible.”
Activities at the new home will include ping-pong, board games, gardening and arts and crafts.
The building will be split into four different zones, with each zone offering a different experience to cater for different needs.
It will include a relaxation room, a cinema room, an activities room and an arts and crafts room.
The home also offers relief for those who care for family members as residents do not have to live permanently in the home, with short tenancies available.
“This is such an amazing concept, it allows family to take some time for themselves while knowing their loved ones are in safe hands,” Allison remarks.
Dementia in Kirklees
Alzheimers’ UK estimates there are around 982,000 UK residents living with dementia with two-thirds of them living at home.
Of the 57 long stay homes in Kirklees, 37 of them are equipped with dementia units allowing for more delicate care of dementia sufferers.
The increasing number of these dementia specialist homes comes following the increase in dementia patients in Kirklees, with the council estimating the figure to be 4500.
In a statement from Kirklees Council, the house will also contain a ‘Centre for Excellence’ which will provide support and assistance for family members to allow dementia patients to live at home for longer.
“It is in the best interest of those suffering with dementia to be in their own homes,” the statement read, “they want to be independent, this centre will help allow them to live as independently as possible.”
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