Care homes across Sefton have been making significant changes to help their residents to lead happier and healthier lives.

Over the past three years, Sefton Council has provided care homes with capital Care Home Improvement Grants to support them to make their facilities more dementia friendly and improve the quality of their offering to residents.

Huge improvements

Cllr Paul Cummins, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care said: “Our investment demonstrates our continued commitment to backing the local nursing and residential care home sector.

“We have seen some fantastic improvement to the lives of care home residents, particularly those living with dementia.

“There has been great innovation in the use of technology, and imagination in the design of environments to make them more suitable for everyone.

“The feedback that we have received from staff, residents and family members has been extremely positive. I know a lot of hard work has gone into these improvements. Well done to everyone involved.”

Sefton Council has invested almost £400,000 in Round Three of the Grants Programme this latest round of improvements with another round planned in the New Year. A total of 98 grants have been awarded to care home providers over the past three rounds of the Programme, totalling £1.15m.

Retreat for residents

One care home that has benefitted from the grant is Peacehaven House in Southport. They used the money to create a waterfall garden sensory retreat with seating reminiscing boxes and sensory chimes. The home also used part of the funding to improve their model railway, which is used by many of their residents.

A staff member said: “Our garden is an important focal point, and all residents are encouraged to use the areas to either socialise together, meet up with friends and family, [or] sit quietly and watch the world go by and remember.”

Both Cloisters and Craignair homes in Crosby and Blundellsands also used the funding to help their residents with dementia. Their improvements include dementia friendly carpet and décor, moving away from patterns to modern and calming colours. They have also introduced new lounge furniture that is studier to provide more support for residents.

Dedicated care

Residents at The Hollies wanted to start a gardening club, but prior to receiving the grant, the home did not have a safe area in their garden that could be used this way.

They installed planters at waist height and made sure there was a dedicated, wheelchair accessible area for the club to use. Gardening helps with the mental state of mind and wellbeing, and particularly helps people with dementia to feel relaxed. It is a form of physical activity that can improve strength, balance and flexibility, as well as being a social activity for all.

For full details of the Improvement Programme, and for a report on the improvements that have been made with the funding during this round, visit the grant webpage.