Green light for OAP homes scheme

Aug 16 2006 By Alison Dayani, Birmingham Mail

MULTI-million pound plans to build one of the UK's first special care centres for the elderly were today given the go ahead by Birmingham chiefs.

Birmingham City Council has approved the first phase of the scheme to create the first of four new havens for the old.

The Beeches, at the corner of Skipton Road and Ladywood Road in Edgbaston, will be the first step in helping more city pensioners stay independent for longer.

Coun Sue Anderson, adult services and communities spokeswoman, welcomed the approval by the city's planning committee.

"This is another vital step in the development of a new level of care for our older people," said Coun Anderson.

"We will provide a seamless service that brings together social care services with health and wellbeing services with the aim of ensuring older people remain independent for longer.

"The centres will also be built to be flexible, so that they can adapt to the changing needs of people for decades to come and ensure the services we provide are geared to current and future service users."

The Council's strategy for older people will create four new 64-bed Special Care Centres in the city at a cost of £44 million.

They will be the first of their kind in the UK as they will help the elderly live independently for as long as possible.

The centres will combine long-term care for people with dementia and short-term places providing care and rehabilitation for patients leaving hospital.

They will also act as community "one stop shops" for care, support, activities and treatments, ranging from chiropody and physiotherapy to stroke clinics and well being classes.

Extras include top level security and landscaped gardens.

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