En-suite wet rooms in a new £6.9 million, state of the art dementia care home feature a space saving solution from Pressalit Care that help residents maintain their privacy for washing and showering, while ensuring close eye contact with their carers.
The concept of a folding support arm with half-length curtain fitted alongside the bath or shower was first proposed to owners NorseCare by experts at Stirling University as part of their collaboration on the new Lydia Eva Court.
Barron and Smith Architects, part of the NPS Group, who designed the home, approached Pressalit Care to fulfil the solution for the en-suite wet rooms at the new 88 bed care home, which incorporates new technology and learning from the latest research into the highest quality dementia care.
Care home managers wanted to ensure maximum privacy in the bathrooms, while allowing the carers to remain in close proximity to the resident, essential in dementia care.
“This alleviates the problem of residents using their arms to conceal their bodies to retain privacy, and thus being unable to wash properly, which is a widely experienced issue,” says Lisa Utting, home manager at Lydia Eva Court. “By using a half curtain, instead of full length, our residents can retain eye contact with their carers, who are able to still instruct and reassure.
“Often when a resident loses sight of their carer they can become confused – this solution allows the resident to maintain their dignity while getting the support and care they need.”
By using a Pressalit Care support arm with half height curtain, which folds up against the wall and locks in place, efficient use of space in the bathroom is achieved, unlike more bulkier carer screens that intrude into the room.
“This is a small, but highly important element of the care home that creates a very special environment for our residents to lead as meaningful and dignified life as possible,” concludes Lisa.
Pressalit Care is a leader in flexible furnishings for the elderly and those with limited physical abilities. Pressalit Care believes that the environment should compensate for physical limitations and this fundamental idea is included in the smallest detail throughout its solutions.