Page 20 - TCHD brochure #1

Our motivation and what makes us ‘tick’....

Availability of good quality dementia care facilities is being increasingly outstripped by demand. Paradoxically, as
demand increases more Homes are closing down. Clearly this can't continue.

Building new homes, whilst they’re needed too, isn’t the answer to the problem. Re-assessing and refurbishing existing
properties, whilst not as glamourous and news-worthy, needs to be the priority of the day and where most effort should
be applied.

What’s changed?

As the number of people with dementia requiring care home places continues to increase, the balance between home
care provisions and supported care home places for people who don't have dementia has changed, such that there is
now a greater demand for homes catering for people with dementia and reduced demand for those who don't.

Homes that re-register for dementia and provide better standards of care are what the sector needs, and these are the
homes that will perform better in a tough economic climate.

The aim of The Care Home Designer is to work with care home owners who want to develop excellent environments that
are highly suited to residents with dementia. This will contribute significantly to the success and sustainability of the home
and for some it will be the difference that keeps them in business and available for the ongoing demand.

So what's the answer?

Through better design we can meet the needs of the people requiring care home places today, and by refreshing our
existing stock with only moderate investment, more places can be made available.
New Homes being built at costs as high as £250,000 to £300,000 per bed are not being well designed for the demands of
the operator or the people who want to live in them. Consequently they’re destined to be financial millstones of the future.

19