High Sheriff Celia Jenkins with staff from Llys Jasmine
The High Sheriff of Clwyd has visited a dementia care complex, recently shortlisted for a prominent housing award.
Celia Jenkins wanted to see Llys Jasmine, the ground-breaking extra care and dementia scheme in Mold, firsthand and talk to staff and residents about their experiences.
The complex, that opened last summer, has made the shortlist for the large development category at the UK Housing Awards. The annual awards recognise excellence across the housing sector and are presented by the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) and Inside Housing magazine. Thought to be the first of its kind in Wales the complex was designed by architects Ainsley Gommon, built by Anwyl Construction in partnership with Wales & West Housing Association and Flintshire County Council and provides 61 apartments and two extra care bungalows.
All apartments in the £8.3m complex are designed to adapt to residents changing needs; with specific dementia apartments laid out around a central courtyard on the upper ground floor giving a safe environment to maintain independence. With 24 hour on-site care and support and a state-of -the-art call care system it is aimed at residents 65 and over.
A dementia commissioning plan is part of Flintshire’s on-going commitment for the care of people living with dementia with the overall objective of the strategy to ensure that people living with dementia have access to high quality care to meet their needs.
Celia Jenkins, High Sheriff of Clwyd said: “I very much enjoyed my visit and was extremely impressed by the quality of the construction, attention to detail and the dedicated staff and facilities. I am sure they will improve significantly the quality of life of the residents.”
Councillor Helen Brown, Cabinet Member for Housing said: “We are delighted that Llys Jasmine has been nominated for this award and has been recognised as a state of the art facility. Llys Jasmine and the extra care schemes are enabling older people to have a new choice of housing and are making a real difference to people’s lives.”
Councillor Christine Jones, Cabinet Member for Social Services said: “Llys Jasmine is a fantastic scheme, part funded by a £6.07m social housing grant from the Welsh Government in partnership with Wales & West Housing and Flintshire County Council. Extra Care is becoming established as a popular model of specialist housing with care provision for older people in the County.”
Anne Hinchey, Chief Executive of Wales & West Housing, said: “We’re delighted that Llys Jasmine has been praised so highly by visitors including the High Sheriff, and residents have settled into their new homes so well. We’re also proud that the extra care scheme has been shortlisted for such a prestigious award.”
The Housing Award winners will be presented at a ceremony in London on 29 April.
