Interiors


The Jubilee Suite: Abbot Care Home’s royal transformation


Josh Potter, PR & communications business partner at Excelcare, discusses a recent interior renovation project at Abbot Care Home in Essex that was inspired by Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II


Nestled within open parkland in Harlow, Essex, and home to almost one hundred and twenty residents, Excelcare’s Abbot Care Home has created a community of individuals who thrive on the dedicated care and support they receive from the team and the friends they meet along the way. Over the last three years, a previously


unused area on the top floor of the home has undergone extensive renovations to become The Jubilee Suite that it is today. Starting at the beginning of the journey,


The Jubilee Suite was once a vacant care suite; however, this changed in March 2020 when the pandemic reached the UK and not only put a stop to life as we know it, but also changed many people’s lives through illness and loss. The strain on resources was felt by


everyone, especially people working in frontline roles like the NHS. Hospitals were filling, and infection rates were rising, causing widespread delays and overcrowding in our hospitals.


As a big part of its local community and a supportive partner of the NHS, Abbot Care Home decided to repurpose its vacant care suite and turn it into a Discharge to Assess (D2A) suite in order to support local hospitals in creating more bed spaces on their wards for the people who needed them most. Team members working at Abbot grouped together to help make this new suite a success – where people could receive the care and support they needed to return home or continue life at Abbot if they so wished. Feedback from people who received care in the D2A suite at Abbot was positive, with many saying how the excellent care and support they received helped them to return to their own homes feeling fit and well. Alongside anecdotes of people living well in the suite, people who spent time there reported how wonderful the views from the windows were of surrounding Harlow and the green space.


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It was this feedback that led the management team at Abbot and Excelcare to review the use of the suite and plan its future. The D2A suite remained open throughout the pandemic until it was no longer required, after which it was decided that the suite would be transformed into a new, luxury care suite boasting stunning views of the community and providing care and support to people on a permanent or respite basis.


This is when The Jubilee Suite was born. A majestic renovation


During the time of construction, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was celebrating her Platinum Jubilee. To honour her achievements, the suite was named ‘The Jubilee Suite’. Of course, this idea took on a whole new meaning when The Queen died


Team members working at Abbot grouped together to help make this new suite a success


in September 2022. Rather than just being named after her Jubilee, it was decided the suite would be a cherished place of solace and reflection in tribute to her. With an adapted plan in the place, The


Jubilee Suite would now house two distinct dining areas that bore names inspired by The Queen. Lillibet’s Bistro, named after her childhood nickname, would welcome guests with an inviting ambiance and serve dishes that combined tradition with modern flair. Meanwhile, The Elizabeth Lounge would become a majestic dining space, radiating elegance and providing a sanctuary for shared moments among residents and their loved ones.


The majestic theme continued into the design of the bedrooms, too. Designed with sophistication and comfort in mind, each unique room would be finished to a high standard with luxury features, a high-end wet-room, and plush soft furnishings. A Smart TV and Amazon Alexa device would also feature in each room, making it easier for people to access their favourite types of entertainment. Each and every detail was planned meticulously to ensure each


www.thecarehomeenvironment.com January 2024


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