A state-of-the-art, £7 million, eco-friendly nursing and care home is set to open in Exeter this summer, creating at least 60 jobs and raising the bar for care standards in the county
The ‘luxurious’, 68-bed Green Tree Court on Harrington Lane, Pinhoe will provide residential, nursing, dementia and respite care, featuring huge, 22 to 24-square-metre double bedrooms - twice the size recommended by the Care Quality Commission; a gym and spa area with holistic treatments available; wifi; Smart televisions with access to Sky TV in all bedrooms; an organic, GM-free menu; and an on-site physiotherapist and events co-ordinator.
The entire build will also be the first care home in the South West to be built to ‘BREEAM Excellent’ standard, the world’s leading design and environmental assessors with strict ratings on sustainability.
The build’s entire carbon footprint will also be offset to Gold Standard Carbon Credit Regulations, with potential investment providing rocket-stoves to communities in Africa, lessening the effects of dangerous smoke inhalation in people’s homes.
“This will be, not only the type of home you would want your parents to live in, but one you would want to move to yourself,” says Stephen Pattrick, the chairman of Lexicon Healthcare, the company behind the development.
“We have many years experience in healthcare and we have put together a first-class team of staff who will be running the nursing home to exceptionally high-standards of care,” he reveals.
One of the concepts which will set this home apart, is its commitment to an exceedingly high level of dementia care, meeting ‘gold’ standards, as set out by experts in dementia at the University of Stirling. It will be the first home in the whole of the South West to meet such standards.
“There are some great care homes in the South West,” says Stephen, “but this luxurious development is set to better the benchmark of care in the region.
“There has been a lot of work done by the University of Stirling on dementia and a lot of analysis on the most appropriate way to provide care to people living with dementia, which has a lot to do with the colour of the walls and floors, the design of wardrobes and memory boxes placed on the entrance to their rooms, in which mementos can be placed to help stimulate memory,” adds Stephen.
With exercise also playing an important role in health at any age, there will be an on-site gym and physiotherapist available to work alongside every individual, as well as music therapy for those with dementia. The food served will also be ‘first-class, local produce’, completely GM-free and organic where possible, with nutritional advisors on-hand to tailor menus for individual needs.
On arrival, residents and visitors will be met with a beautiful, two-storey Living Wall (a vertical garden) and a huge aquarium measuring eight-feet by 1.6 metres. There will also be a piano, which can be programmed to play by itself and an on-site library.
For people looking for a home for either themselves or for their parents, Stephen advises: “You have to choose a home that you feel the most comfortable in. We believe we can offer the best possible care in the most luxurious of environments, with the greatest opportunity to enjoy life as best as you possibly can. There are many great nursing homes in Devon, and for some people care in their own homes is the best option for them but we invite you to come along, have a look around, and see for yourself if you or a relative would feel comfortable here.”
For further information and to view a 3D walk-through of Green Tree Court, visit website lexiconhealthcare.com. An on-site show suite will also be able to view prior to the opening.
