Care Centre Respite Rooms Offer Potential Hospital Relief

A care centre has inaugurated a new respite facility, which it stated could alleviate bed pressure at a nearby hospital. The Bradbury Care Centre in Whitchurch, Shropshire, operates as a day centre primarily for elderly individuals living with Alzheimer’s and dementia-related conditions. It has now converted an area to accommodate people requiring overnight and longer stays. Centre manager Mandy Silvester confirmed that each of the four rooms includes an en-suite bathroom and provides access to a garden. She expressed hope that allowing centre users to remain there for respite, rather than seeking care elsewhere, would be more beneficial for both the users and their families. These beds will also be made available to the adjacent Whitchurch Community Hospital. Ms. Silvester highlighted the importance of continuity of care within a familiar environment when service users need to go into respite. She stated, “When they have to go into respite, if they’re out of county sometimes family members can’t visit them and it causes lots of distress to not only the service users but also the families as well.” Karen Lipman, a care assistant who has worked at the centre for 15 years, remarked: “It’ll make a big difference to the hospital because they’re very short of respite places.” Pearl Clawley, whose sister receives care at the centre, described the rooms as “absolutely beautiful, lovely, relaxing.” She added that it would be “beneficial for the family to know she’s safe and in familiar surroundings.” Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.