Staff and residents Yeovil’s newest care home are thrilled to have taken delivery of a wheelchair-accessible Peugeot Horizon, acquired with the specific purpose of making it easy to transport individuals around the town for one-on-one activities at favourite places. 

Manager Graham Oakes said: “It is so important to provide care for people with dementia that is really person-centred and enables them to live their best lives.

“Sometimes this means they want to return to a place they associate with enjoying themselves, such as a special pub, garden, place of worship, sports ground or entertainment venue, and our new wheelchair accessible vehicle – WAV for short - will enable us to take them there.

“Anyone who has a loved one living with dementia will be familiar with their reminiscences about places they have visited and activities they’ve enjoyed in years past, and it’s our intention – where feasible – to help recreate some of that.

“Group outings and minibuses suit some settings very well, but the WAV at Chestnut Lodge is intended to allow for supported individual outings that better fit with our particular ethos of personalised care.”

Chestnut Lodge opened in April and has been operating a policy of gradual admissions to ensure each new resident is given all the time they need to feel at home in their new surroundings.

This month sees the arrival of more new staff, increasing the size of the home’s activities team to four. Team leader, Jackie Cuff, is already in place and getting to know the residents and the activities they enjoy.

October commenced with a theme day - to coincide with World Teachers’ Day - with residents enjoying the movie ‘Goodbye Mr Chips’ over tubs of popcorn, as well as a very popular reminiscence session about the residents’ schooldays.

A purpose-built care facility, Chestnut Lodge has recently been fully refurbished to a very high standard and can now accommodate 38 residents in single rooms, each with a personal wet room. 

The CQC-registered home also provides respite care tailored to meet carers’ needs, with stays from 1-30 nights available.  

Families wishing to enquire about a place should call Graham Oakes on 01935 513555 or email graham.oakes@camelotcare.co.uk