Sefton care homes invited to benefit from new round of grants

Sefton Council is launching a new round of Care Home Improvement Grants to help improve care home facilities across the Borough.

The Grant Programme, which gives care homes the opportunity to make facilities more dementia friendly and support living experiences, demonstrates Sefton Council’s continued commitment to backing the local nursing and residential care home sector and improve the quality of its offering to service users.

Care Homes in Sefton can apply for a grant of up to £25,000 to make their facilities more dementia friendly.

Applications are expected to contain projects that will improve outdoor or communal areas within care homes making them more dementia friendly to allow for more social interaction and activities. Sefton Council is also encouraging those who apply to consider technological equipment that can improve residents’ quality of life and digital solutions to support a greener carbon footprint and energy efficiency.

This round of grants is the third of the Programme.

The Care Home Improvement Grants in rounds one and two benefitted 58 care homes across Sefton, and the Council expects more care homes to benefit from the Grants Programme in round three.

Thornton Lodge in Crosby was one of 36 care homes to receive a grant in round one of the funding. They used it to install new seating and raised flower beds in their communal garden providing residents with greater ownership over their space. The home also installed a turfed bowling green after asking residents what features they would like to see.

Cambridge Court Care Home in Waterloo used their grant to create a hair salon for residents to visit, as well as improving their outdoor area. The salon has proved to be popular with residents, with numerous residents saying that they go at least once a week to get their hair done.

Speaking about the changes, one resident said:

“We love our garden and I love to do my morning exercise while listening to the birds sing.”

Another care home that received a grant in round one of the Programme was Good Companions, who used the money to incorporate interactive tables, robotic pets and therapy dolls into their home.

Cllr Cummins, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care said:

“I am delighted that Sefton Council are, once again, able to offer grants to care home providers in the borough.

“We have already seen some great improvements to the lives of care home residents, particularly for those living with dementia.

“There has been great innovation in the use of technology, and imagination in the design of environments, making them dementia friendly.

“It’s been heart-warming to hear how the grants have already helped to make people’s everyday lives better.

“This new round of grants will give even more opportunities to care home providers who have fantastic ideas about how to improve their residents’ quality of life.”

Round three of the Care Home Improvement Programme is open to care homes in Sefton now. More information is available at www.sefton.gov.uk/care-home-grants