News
Hartford Care and MyndVR partner for VR therapy roll out
Provider Hartford Care has partnered with US-based tech company MyndVR to deliver VR therapies in its care homes across the South of England – the first launch of its kind in Europe. MyndVR, an award-winning provider of
VR-based therapeutic experiences for older people, uses lightweight immersive glasses from HTC Vive to deliver a library of content designed specifically for seniors, helping them to live healthier, happier lives, while addressing isolation and depression and offering engaging cognitive games. Hartford Care has teamed with MyndVR in order to enable residents to travel the world,
visit a street they previously lived on, relive old memories and continue to engage, learn, and explore, all from the comfort of the provider’s care homes. It will initially launch the therapies across ten of its homes, including Malden House in East Devon, West Cliff Hall in Hythe, and Hartford Court in Portsmouth. Hartford Care chief executive Kevin
Shaw said: “We want to be at the forefront of innovation in our industry and the use of virtual reality headsets in our homes is another ground-breaking initiative we’re extremely proud to establish. I’m looking forward to seeing the benefits this technology has for the residents in our homes, especially those living with dementia whereby research shows it can fight loneliness and alleviate anxiety.” MyndVR CEO Chris Brickler added: “Partnering with Hartford Care is an exciting step as we continue to spread the benefits of MyndVR to our aging population around the globe. By 2030, 1 in 6 - or 1.4 billion - people in the world will be aged 60 years or over. The value and impact of virtual reality for the aging mind cannot be overstated. We look forward to continuing to deliver meaningful experiences to our aging population.”
Major rebuild planned for Epping care home
Premium Care Group is transforming Weald Hall Care Home in Epping, Essex, having taken over the home last year. The new owner is promising ‘significant
investment’ in Weald Hall in order to ‘transform it into a warm, welcoming, and inclusive environment’. As part of the programme, bedrooms, sitting rooms, dining areas, and the exterior of the home will all be revamped.
When the works – expected to be
completed in the spring – are over, Weald Hall will feature a cinema room, hair salon, music room, multi-sensory room, bakery, library, post office, and sweet shop for residents and visitors to enjoy.
There will also be significant changes to management, with improvements being made to staff training and development and personalised care and activity programmes. The home has already seen its CQC rating change from requires improvement to Good. Premium Care Group owns two other
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Work begins on new Care UK home in South Gloucestershire
Construction has begun on a brand new Care UK care home in the town of Yate in South Gloucestershire.
homes in the Essex region, both situated close to Brentwood.
Premium Care Group MD Robert Adams said: “Our residents and families have given us so much positive feedback about the changes that have been made so far, and we are really looking forward to seeing the completed project.
“Our vision is to provide extraordinary
care, so we will continue to invest in the beautiful building of Weald Hall, as well as training, development and recruitment. We are looking forward to welcoming the local community into Weald Hall very soon.”
When complete, the new Care UK home on Fletcher Road will provide residential, nursing, dementia, and respite care for 75 residents, and will create 85 jobs in the local economy. Care UK expects to welcome its first residents to the new home in autumn 2024. The provider promises a range of facilities and features, including a cinema, café, and hair salon, while wheelchair- friendly landscaped outdoor spaces will include sensory gardens and water features. The layout of the home will be configured around a series of individual suites, each having a dedicated lounge/ dining room to help facilitate the creation of close-knit communities. Justin Daley, development project manager for Care UK, said: “We’re delighted to share that work has commenced at Yate’s new site – this impressive development reflects our commitment to improving residential care in the region. “At Care UK we take great pride in the build quality of each home, carefully considering design and layout in order to improve the everyday experiences of those living in a care environment. This thoughtfully planned new home will live up to these standards, providing a high- quality home for older people in Yate and surrounding areas.”
Scott Bartlett, senior contracts manager at Kori Construction Limited, added: “Construction is off to a great start and we’re on track to complete the work by Autumn 2024. We’re thrilled to be working with Care UK on their brand-new Yate care home, bringing our expertise as a developer to the project. We’re already looking forward to reaching our next milestone in the coming months.”
www.thecarehomeenvironment.com April 2023
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