A package of Altro products has been fitted in a new £10 million dementia friendly ‘super’ care home in Scotland, helping to create the ultimate environment of comfort and support for residents.
Crosslet House in Dumbarton is a 90 bed, ultra modern complex that incorporates a dementia unit and day care provision. Owned and managed by West Dunbartonshire Council (WDC), built by Morgan Sindall and delivered as part of the Hub Project in Scotland, the new facility is the result of a £20 m investment by WDC to replace six residential care homes and four day care centres.
Morgan Sindall and Altro are supply chain partners on the Hub Project in Scotland, and Crosslet House is the first of these projects where a full Altro specification has been maintained from start to finish.
In creating Crosslet House, WDC has responded to the growing population of older patients with dementia with an innovative approach to the management of care homes. It has undertaken a significant amount of research around the use of space and colour to assist those with dementia. Crosslet House is a ‘home for life’ for residents, which means comfort, support and dignity are paramount.
The overarching aim was to create a facility designed to meet the specific needs of people with dementia, removing many of the stresses and obstacles that can make the disease so frightening.
Navigation can be challenging for people with dementia, so WDC used four primary colours to denote ‘houses’, helping residents identity their own home. The entire building is colour coded to ensure it meets dementia design criteria.
Crosslet house support services manager, Rhona Aitken, says: “The feedback we have had so far from relatives, residents and visitors in general has been wonderful.” “Everyone says Crosslet House is like a plush hotel!
“The colours and finishes of the floors and walls give a lovely overall ambiance of homely warmth, and help to create a bright, welcoming and stylish interior. The Altro products are certainly delivering the non-clinical feel we wanted to achieve, and it’s fantastic to see residents feeling so at home here.
“Safety is a huge priority at Crosslet House, and we are delighted with the flooring, particularly in the en-suites, because it’s completely secure under foot for both residents with bare feet, and staff wearing shoes. The wood effect flooring is also very safe, but smooth too, and it looks beautiful.
“We are very impressed with the hygiene capabilities of the floors and walls. There are no joints, cracks or bubbles for the dirt to hide in, so hygiene is maximised and this is vital for the health of everyone at Crosslet House. Cleaning couldn’t be easier; our regime has kept it all looking as pristine and fresh as it did a year ago.”
The flooring was installed by McGarry Flooring, and the walling by Veitchi Interiors.
