Plans for Older People's Accommodation

Our proposals aim to address the needs of York's ageing population, replacing the council's seven out-dated Older People's Homes (OPHs), while helping older people to remain independent in their own home for as long as possible. The plan also equips York for future population change with the size of the over 75 population expected to increase by 50% over the next 15 years.

While the council's OPHs are still popular with residents and their families, they are no longer fit for purpose, having been built in the 1960s and 70s, with the vast majority of residents having to share toilets and bathrooms.

The plans

We know that older people want to retain their independence and remain in their own home for as long as possible. We already do lots to make this happen.

Our new plans aim to maximise the use of two of York's existing Sheltered Housing with Extra Care schemes, making them more accessible for people with higher care needs by increasing the support available at each venue. This will allow older people to continue to live independently in their own home, a stated aim of the majority of York's older population.

Creating new Extra Care accommodation, a new care home and working with the private sector to develop further options and choice for older people in York are other key elements of the modernisation programme.

By the end of the programme there will be over 900 new units of accommodation for older people across the city.

Update

Older People's Homes

Grove House and Oakhaven Older People's Homes closed in spring 2016 and Willow House closed in early 2017. Earlier this year councillors also decided to close Woolnough House and we are currently supporting residents.

Our priority is and always has been the welfare of the residents and we worked closely with all those involved to ensure that the moves to new accommodation went as smoothly as possible.

Comments from those who have moved to new homes include:

Edith: "I quite like it here. Everyone has been really friendly."

Florence: "I've settled in ok. All the care staff are helpful and I like my room."

Irene: "Some of the staff already know me from Grove House and that was nice as they know what I like and I don't like."

Betty: "I like to have a laugh with everyone and they have a good sense of humour here."

In October 2017, the council’s Executive received a report highlighting the key milestones that have been reached in the programme.

Key milestones in the project in terms of new extra care provision and new residential and nursing care provision. They include:

• 24/7 Extra Care provision is now in place at Auden House on Cemetery Road, Glen Lodge in Heworth and Marjorie Waite Court in Clifton.
• Construction is nearly complete for the £4m, 27 home extension to Glen Lodge, providing dementia ready accommodation at this council-run Extra Care facility with the first residents moving in by November 2017.
• The council has procured and appointed Ashley House working the HCOne to deliver a care home on the Burnholme Health & Wellbeing Campus site and they have submitted the planning application for the 80 bed residential and nursing care home. Work to transform the former school site to a health and wellbeing campus is progressing well.
• Executive in August gave consent to build a 33 home extension to the Marjorie Waite Court Extra Care scheme with construction work expected to start in summer 2018.
• Planning consent has been granted to the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust for a 105 home Extra Care facility and a 44 bed care home in New Earswick.
• Ashley House were appointed as our partner to fund, build and operate an 56 home Extra Care facility on the site of Oakhaven older persons’ home on Acomb Road with a planning application being submitted in the autumn.
• The site of Fordlands Road Older Persons’ Home, which closed in 2011, has been sold to a developer who wish to build a 64 bed residential and nursing care home on the site. Their planning application is currently being considered.
• The 90 bed care home at the Terry’s Chocolate Works is now open and is well received.
• Plans for the development of a care home, health hub, family homes, bungalows and apartments for the over 55s and public open space at Lowfield Green, were the subject of further public engagement in July with a planning application expected to be submitted this autumn.

We will continue to update this page as the project progresses