THE Deputy Mayor of Melksham, cllr Sue Mortimer, has officially opened a new advice centre at Melksham luxury care home, Blenheim House, a member of the Berkley Care Group.
The Hub is intended for those moving into care homes and their loved ones to seek advice and receive information on care-related topics. It aims to alleviate the burden on the local authority’s current capacity and provide the community with an information centre on all things related to adult social care.
The Hub, which was founded by Blenheim House’s customer relationships manager, Christopher Guest, is now open Monday to Friday every week during the working day. For those wishing to drop in, they are advised to call ahead of their visit.
Attaching the Hub to the home’s visiting suite, means that in the event of any future lockdown, it can still be accessed through the use of a glass partition. Visitors seeking in-person advice will also be able to take virtual tours of the home on a flat screen TV.
The new addition to Blenheim House allows members of the community to seek guidance on topics such as paying for care, as well as have any queries they have on dementia or palliative care answered. The Hub also offers literature including detailed brochures to help prospective care home users and their loved ones make informed decisions about the future. In its first week of opening, the Hub has already received six enquiries and has provided five tours of Blenheim House.
The Hub has been commended by Stephanie Gravett from the Alzheimer’s Society during a visit to the facility earlier this month.
Blenheim House has invited organisations like the Alzheimer’s Society, Dementia Friends and Age UK to work with the Hub to organise drop-in sessions and public events for the local community, in an effort to fill an information gap in adult social care.
For those who wish to get in touch with Blenheim House, including to request a tour, they can contact Christopher Guest on 01225 896200.
Alternatively, they can visit the Blenheim House Care Home website, https://www.blenheimhousecare.com/
Christopher Guest said, “I’m frequently hearing from our enquirers to Blenheim House that they have no central place in our community to receive general information about going into a care home. They have adult social care from the local authority, but that is really stretched.
“I’m so pleased that the Hub has officially opened at Blenheim House to alleviate this burden on the local authority and to offer future care home users and their loved ones a central place to have their queries looked after and their worries lessened.
“This new addition to our home is a testament to the commitment we have at Blenheim House to ensure relationships with our service users, both current and future, and their loved ones are positive.”
Following her visit to the Hub, Stephanie Gravett, local services manager from the Alzheimer’s Society said, “Alzheimer’s Society is pleased to be offering their support to the newly-formed Melksham Community Hub, where local people can drop in and receive information and support about having or caring for someone with dementia.
“We hope to ensure the people of Melksham are able to access support and information about dementia through this exciting new hub”
Pictured: Chris Guest and Cllr Sue Mortimer opening the Hub at Blenheim House Care Home.
