Gold success for Limewood

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Limewood, the dementia care home at Northfield Village in Stafford, has achieved the highest possible rating from the University of Stirling's standards for people with dementia.

Choices' Limewood, a specialist care home which opened last year, provides dementia care for every stage and every age of the condition. The building has 59 en-suite bedrooms, and offers residential, nursing and respite care for people with dementia. Limewood also features an innovative dementia hub; the High Street, which is a 1950s internal street scene with a pub, a cinema based on the Stafford Picture house, and a hairdressers and barbers. Built by The Wrekin Housing Trust, in partnership with Staffordshire County Council and Galliford Try, Limewood is not only a purpose-built care home but also a purpose-designed one.

The University of Stirling's Dementia Design Audit Accreditation offers a full expert audit service which leads to an independent Dementia Design Audit Certificate. Limewood has received a rating of the highest accolade, gold.

One of the key good practice guidelines from the University of Stirling is to ensure a good use of colour or contrast, as it can help people with sight loss and dementia to find specific rooms so they can continue to live independently. Bedroom and bathroom doors are colour-coded at Limewood, so that users can easily find the right rooms. As eyesight naturally changes as we get older, older people may find blues, greens and purples difficult to differentiate; each room has been decorated with this in mind.

Julie Harding, Director of Business Development for Choices, said: "We're thrilled that Limewood is one of only nine dementia centres across the UK which holds this accreditation. Throughout every stage of development we always aimed for excellence, and winning the gold award is testament to this."

Choices is part of The Wrekin Housing Group. For more information about Limewood.

9th March 2016