'Revolutionary' new dementia care home opens in Bamber Bridge - here's everything we know

The service will pioneer a new model of care to support people with advanced dementia, which has been developed by an international dementia expert.

It is hoped that this ground-breaking approach to complex care will act as a national model to reimagine dementia care and reduce pressure on both NHS and social care services.

What’s it all about?

The brand-new service – called a Specialist Dementia Care Community (SDCC) - has now opened at HC-One's Meadow Bank Care Home in Bamber Bridge.

Caring for up to 20 people at a time, the home community focuses on the welfare and wellbeing of people who are emotionally distressed by their dementia.

How does it work?

The new dementia community in Meadow Bank has introduced a series of ‘trailblazing’ measures to reduce distress and confusion amongst residents living with dementia.

Here's a drop-in dementia hub for people in the Preston area

As part of this, there is a realistic cinema room, home-like lounge and dining areas and a vintage tea parlour so that care home residents are able to live comfortably in places that feel familiar, doing activities that are right for the setting they take place in to reduce confusion.

Assistant psychologists are on hand to support staff by analysing residents’ behaviour to advise on recommended pastimes and care plans, and there is an enhanced admission process led by the Home Manager and a dementia specialist.

"Dad is doing more”

Julie Rennie, the daughter of one of the first residents at the Meadow Bank Specialist Dementia Care Community, said: "I’ve noticed recently that my Dad is doing more... He gets involved with karaoke and doing jobs around the home – the staff keep me updated as to how he is and what he is doing. I’m really happy that he has put a bit of weight on and is doing well. I can’t thank staff enough."

Tracey Yates, Area Director at HC-One, said: “We are proud to bring this bold new service to Preston, which engages with our residents as individuals rather than as their dementia diagnosis. This is a really revolutionary moment in dementia care.”