Our preferred option for Leighton Buzzard Day Centre for Older People
Consultation closed: Thursday, 7 July 2022
Consultation opened: Wednesday, 6 April 2022
Having considered these options for the future of Leighton Buzzard Day Centre for Older People, our preferred option at this stage is to move the existing customers to a new day service within the care home being developed at Marigold House. We would then close Leighton Buzzard Day Centre.
This is our preferred option because:
Improved quality of facilities/services
It would enable existing customers to access more modern facilities and a comfortable, dementia-friendly, environment with access to secure, landscaped gardens, whilst still meeting their care and support needs. Facilities would be integrated within the care home community, therefore encouraging the growth of friendship networks and preventing isolation.
Minimal disruption for existing customers
Any change in day services would mean some disruption for customers. However, the whole customer group would be able to stay together, and we hope they would be supported by the same staff that they are now. An experienced transitions team, which includes a dedicated social worker, would be on-hand to support customers during the process.
Value for money
Moving to appropriately-sized space at Marigold House and closing Leighton Buzzard Day Centre would mean the building running costs, such as repairs, maintenance and utilities would be reduced. In addition, Marigold House is being built to Passivehaus standards, so we expect it to be extremely energy-efficient. By co-locating both the care home and the day centre, both services can run more efficiently and effectively. This would represent better value for money for us and our tax payers in Central Bedfordshire than the existing arrangements.
Key components and principles of the enhanced day offer
The new centre would offer an improved setting in which to meet current and future care and support needs of our customers and can be designed with customer needs in mind. It opens up the opportunity to maintain friendships and increase levels of social interaction and physical and mental wellbeing of customers and their relatives/representatives with care home residents. The integration with the care home offers customers and their relatives/representatives a familiar environment should the customer need respite and/or future long-term care.