Building work is set to begin on a brand new state of the art 88-bed unit specialising in dementia care in Gorleston, after building contractors were revealed.
The new care home on Peterhouse Avenue will be located on the site of the former Peterhouse Primary School, close to the James Paget University Hospital, and be operated by NorseCare, the care company set up by Norfolk County Council.
And this week NorseCare announced that R G Carter had been contracted to build the £6.9m development, designed by NPS Property Consultants, with work starting on Tuesday, April 2 and due for completion in the summer of 2014.
The new building will give residents with dementia a large specialist modern facility with bigger rooms, private en-suites facilities, improved communal spaces, special gardens and improved assisted technology
The design of the building will maximise the delivery of person centred care and the wellbeing of the residents, and careful attention has been made to avoid the elements of living in a large institutional building.
The new scheme will include a fitness, wellbeing and activity room, a treatment room, hairdressing salon and a number of quiet rooms.
As well as a number of lounges and dining rooms there will also be a café and a dedicated training room for staff.
The new care home will house residents currently living in three smaller care homes: Magdalen House, a 38-bed care home in Gorleston, very close to the new site; Mildred Stone House, a 32-bed care home in Great Yarmouth and Clere House, a 22-bed care home in Ormesby St Margaret. All of these homes will close in the summer of 2014, when the Peterhouse Avenue site opens.
Tony Williams, Norse board member and county councillor, said: 'The announcement of R G Carter as contractors on the Peterhouse Care Home is excellent news and shows that we're well on track for completion in summer 2014.
'Dementia is a growing challenge in Norfolk and beyond so it's vital that we're looking to provide the best possible care for people with this condition.
'The improved facilities at Peterhouse Avenue will be a huge help towards giving residents, families and carers the comfort and support they need.'
Karen Knight, Managing Director at NorseCare, said: 'We realise that the move could be daunting for our residents but we're consulting regularly with them and their families to ensure that the transition to the Peterhouse facility is as smooth as possible.'
Over the next 15 years NorseCare will invest in and replace its care accommodation, with the emphasis on providing more housing with care schemes and specialist care homes for people with severe dementia.
This, combined with the council's ongoing close work with independent providers, will result in the creation of an extra 2,500 places in housing with care schemes or care homes across the county.
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