A new integrated service, providing a supportive andenhanced environment for people living with dementia in Cardiff, was officially opened yesterday.
The Leader of the Council, Cllr Huw Thomas officially launched the new service, which is being deliveredto meet the needs of people with moderate to high care and support needs across the city, at the new Integrated Dementia Day Service on Grand Avenue in Ely.
The facility - the former Council-owned and managed Grand Avenue Older People's Day Centre, has undergone a complete redesign and major refurbishment works to create a stunning example of a best practice dementia-friendly environment, thanks to a successful capital bid to the Welsh Government's Intermediate Care Fund.
In a joint venture between Cardiff Council and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, both nurses and care assistants nowdeliver better quality services to people who use the centre in improved environments includingbright and spacious lounge and dining areas, contemporary bathing and toilet facilities, a cinema room, space for therapeutic interventions and an attractive and accessible garden and patio area.
The redevelopment also forms part of the Council's strategy to redesign day services for older people tofocus resources on meeting the needs and aspirations of those with social care requirements. Plans included investing in three day centres atMinehead Road, Llanrumney, which was reopened following refurbishment in 2017, Grand Avenue and Fairwater Day Centre which is undergoing a similar programme.
Cabinet Member for Social Care, Health and Wellbeing, Cllr Susan Elsmore, said: "The transformation of the Grand Avenue centre is absolutely remarkable and I am extremely proud that, in partnership with the University Health Board, we have been able to deliver this first-class, city-wide facility with such excellent services to meet the needs of people who come here.
"We're working hard with partners across the city to make Cardiff a more dementia-friendly community where people living with dementia, and their carers, feel more supported and able to access they services they need. Together with our day centres at Minehead Road and Fairwater, this new facility enables us to take a massive stride towards that goal and I know that Grand Avenue is already having a positive impact, providing a welcoming and calm setting for those whoboth receive and deliver care there."
Fiona Kinghorn, Executive Director for Public Health at Cardiff and Vale UHB, said: "The collaborative approach that has been taken between the University Health Board and our colleagues in Cardiff Council has been extremely positive and has resulted in a significant step forward in providing a facility which can provide person-centred care for people living with dementia.
"Our joint obligation to the Well-being of Future Generations Act means that local authorities and health organisations in Wales need to work together to provide the best possible, most sustainable care to not only our population of today but also that of the future. This project is, without a doubt, a fantastic example of what collaboration and long-term thinking can achieve, contributing to a healthier, prosperous and more equal Wales."