South Somerset Homes and Dorset Trust working together to provide ‘extra’ care for older people in Somerset
1 April 2005

South Somerset Homes and The Dorset Trust have announced that they are to work together to provide extra care for many older people in South Somerset. The Dorset Trust provides residential care in Dorset and domiciliary care in Somerset, Dorset and Hampshire. Their Crewkerne office will be working with South Somerset Homes who own and manage 54 older persons schemes throughout South Somerset to provide the individual care to residents living at five extra care schemes.

Residents living at extra care schemes benefit from 24-hour staff cover, a dedicated care team providing individual assessed care packages, as well as a higher level of facilities for the disabled. It is most suitable for frail older residents who wish to continue to live independently with the help of care staff as appropriate. This enables the majority of residents to remain living within the scheme and removes the need for some people to move to residential care homes.

Pictured here is Geoff Atkinson (Chief Executive, South Somerset Homes) and Susan Willoughby (Chief Executive, Dorset Trust)

Speaking about the new partnership, Chief Executive of Dorset Trust Susan Willoughby said, “The Dorset Trust is very pleased to have this opportunity to work in partnership with South Somerset Homes. As a Company, we embrace the Extra Care concept and look forward to delivering quality services to these schemes.”

South Somerset Homes Chief Executive Geoff Atkinson went on to say, “This is not only good news for our current schemes. We are also going to pool our resources and expertise to provide further improved services to the older members of our communities. We are going to create brand new care and housing facilities for the future.”

Pictured here is Mandy Langdon (Carer, Dorset Trust) with Les and Phyliss Cox (Residents at Bowhayes Lodge Extra Care Scheme, Crewkerne)

The extra care schemes where Dorset Trust will provide care are Park Lodge and Malmesbury Court in Yeovil, Bearley House in Martock, St Gildas in Chard and Bowhayes Lodge in Crewkerne.

Pictured here is Geoff Atkinson (Chief Executive, South Somerset Homes), Susan Willoughby (Chief Executive, Dorset Trust) talking to Les and Phylliss Cox (Residents at Bowhayes Lodge Extra Care Scheme, Crewkerne). Mr Les Cox (aged 88 years old) and Mrs Phylliss Cox (aged 82 years old) have lived at the scheme for 7 years.

Established in 1991 The Dorset Trust is one of the leading independent providers of quality care services in Bournemouth, Poole, Dorset and South Somerset. 1100 full and part-time staff care daily for some 1500 people either in one of 18 residential care homes managed by The Dorset Trust or within their own home (domiciliary care). The residential care aspect of the work is mainly for those who are older and more dependent who no longer wish to or are unable to manage in their own home. A growing range of services from The Dorset Trust include respite and short-term care, day care and non-residential services including home care and training. The Dorset Trust is a registered charity and not for profit organisation. Administrative centres are based in Crewkerne and Poole.

South Somerset Homes and Dorset Trust are committed to working together to provide further improved care to older persons living in South Somerset. Initially this means providing care at five extra care schemes owned and managed by South Somerset Homes, and in the future it will mean brand new care and housing facilities for the next generations of older persons living in South Somerset.