Dementia care home go-ahead

THE land on which the centre will be built

A NEW 45-bedroom specialist care home for vulnerable adults with dementia is to be built in Oldham.

Oldham Council planning committee yesterday granted permission for the old Fernec Works site in Stephenson Street, Waterhead, to be transformed into a new five-storey dementia healthcare centre..

The 24 hour service will be a supported living scheme to provide a safe environment for vulnerable adults. The care home will also include a large private garden and full support services.

Applicants Cameron Corporation of Middleton will hand the centre over to dementia care provider Caring Alternatives, which expects to create up to 40 jobs.

Margaret Swanson, joint managing director of Caring Alternatives, said: “It is quite clear that there will be extra demand placed on health and social care services due to an increase in the ageing population.

“It is likely that we shall see a shift away from residential care beds to extra care schemes overall, and that demand for purpose built centres of excellence will increase. Stephenson Street has been designed to provide not only specialist nursing care provision for residents, but also specialist community services and day services for older people.”

The site has been cleared after being derelict for years. The home will be larger than factory it replaces, but will be set back from the main road.