Funding has been approved for a new dementia village in Dover.
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, Kent County Council, and other agencies will work together to create the facility on a section of the old Buckland Hospital site.
The £3.5m project will enable people with dementia to lead healthier and more-independent lives.
Significant European funding has been approved for the project, with £2m from Interreg 2 Seas which has been match funded by 10 partners, including the NHS trust.
Work has been completed on the pre-planning application phase of the development, which will lead to a final design being submitted to Dover District Council in the coming weeks.
This is an exciting development and represents a new approach in caring for those affected by dementia
Once approved, it is anticipated that building work will start immediately and be concluded by spring 2019.
Chief executive of the trust, Matthew Kershaw, said: “This is an exciting development and represents a new approach in caring for those affected by dementia.
“Those with dementia often have other long-term health conditions, which can lead to them being repeatedly admitted to hospital.
“This may tackle specific bouts of illness, but it’s a model that doesn’t necessarily address the overall care needs – emotionally and physically – of an elderly person living with dementia.
“The dementia village concept is based on a social approach that encourages those with dementia to lead as normal a life as possible, engaging with a familiar environment while having access to care 24 hours a day.”
New, financially-sustainable methods of providing care for people living with dementia, such as the dementia village, will be vital in providing the excellent health and social care for those affected by the condition
When built, the Dover dementia village will be an enclosed site containing modified housing blocks, with each accommodating five residents with dementia.
Around 30 people in total will be accommodated, with an additional six beds available for a new ‘guesthouse with care’ concept.
A separate building will provide community facilities and services.
The village will incorporate telehealth technology to protect residents and enable them to live more independently.
Kershaw said: “New, financially-sustainable methods of providing care for people living with dementia, such as the dementia village, will be vital in providing the excellent health and social care for those affected by the condition.
“We are looking forward to learning from this model and continuing to develop better treatment for people with dementia in the future.”
