A 60 bed care home, complete with day care facilities, is starting to take shape in Ostlers Way Kirkcaldy, Fife.
The £5.5 million Ostlers Way Care Home is being built as part of a larger care village with 21 extra care bungalows and 5 specific needs bungalows also on site providing additional housing for older people in Kirkcaldy.
Works began on the care home in June2014 and upon completion, which is due to be in the summer of this year, the care home will comprise 60 beds, day care facilities, a drop-in cafe and a Meals on Wheels facility.
The land the new care home is located on was previously a Greenfield site and replaces two existing care homes, Raith Gates and Appin House homes, as part of the care village concept. The project has been funded by Fife Council capital programme and has seen main contractors Robertson Construction Group and Oliver and Robb Architects, from Dunfermline working together to make the scheme a reality.
The building will be a two storey structure accommodating five individual living units of 12 bedrooms. The new building will contain resident day rooms and large communal spaces to create a feeling of community.
The care home and daycare facilities will be specially designed with surfaces that reduce glare and visual confusion, and decor which takes into account residents with visual impairments and dementia.
So far the main building is wind and water tight with the services, finishes and internal fit-out still to undertake before completion in summer 2015.
A timber frame kit, wet dash render and grey concrete roof tiles have been used during the construction process, as have contrasting buff brick at the entrances and feature bays. Upon completion the care home will contain relaxing exterior landscaping features.
Large open spaces will make use of natural light, and fully accessible secure garden areas which have been designed with a dementia focus will provide vital outdoor space for residents.
The new care village will also feature a hairdressing salon as well as extra-care and specific needs two bedroom bungalows which will provide more support to older people than traditional sheltered houses.
Fife Council undertook extensive consultation with service users, staff, relatives and carers throughout 2013 to help inform the design of the new care home. They also visited other new care homes to look at their designs and layouts and met with other agencies and professionals including the Care Inspectorate, Equalities Unit, Occupational Therapy specialists and the Fire Service.
This consultation process enabled the council to develop the best design possible to meet the needs and aspirations of service users, as well as meet all regulations and legal requirements. In addition, principles promoted by the University of Stirling’s Dementia Services Development Centre have been considered and applied in the care home and garden design.
Now into the detailed design stage, further consultation with all relevant individuals continues to take place to ensure that all aspects of the care home meets the specific needs and wishes of service users. This involves consideration of the use of furniture, fittings and equipment throughout the home.
The project is making good progress and is on track to complete this summer.
