By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
Plans to build three new care homes in Gloucestershire have received a £57 million funding boost.
Gloucestershire County Council cabinet has approved the investment over the next four-and-a-half years to build the new care homes to help address capacity issues.
Council chiefs have identified locations for two of the care homes.The former GIS site in Cinderford and the former Elms Care Home site and Stonehouse Library site.
A third site for development, which could be in Tewkesbury, is currently being identified.
The care homes will be developed in the right locations to meet the future, more complex needs of residents in Gloucestershire.
They will provide high-quality environments that incorporate technology to enhance residents’ care, particularly for individuals with complex needs such as dementia.
It will ensure individuals remain within their local communities for their care.
Plans would see construction on the first two care homes, in Stonehouse and Cinderford, begin in May 2026, with them expected to open in early 2028.
The new care homes will allow more residents to receive care closer to where they have lived previously, or to their support networks.
It runs alongside the council’s changes to community-based services which help people to remain in their own homes.
This approach provides an opportunity for people to enjoy greater independence for longer, reducing the reliance on care homes and enhancing their quality of life.
Cabinet member responsible for adult social care at Gloucestershire County Council Carole Allaway-Martin (C, Coleford) said she was proud that the council is committing the “significant” investment into services for older people in the county.
She told the cabinet meeting on March 5 that the county’s population will grow, especially those aged 85 and over – predicted to increase by 84 per cent.
“Many of the existing facilities in Gloucestershire are outdated and further closures of care homes are expected,” she said.
“Leading to a predicted shortfall of somewhere around 900 beds in the county.”
She said the council wants to build new care homes to address the shortfall and ensure high quality care.
“The needs of our older people are becoming ever more complex and we must make sure that we have the right facilities, in the right locations for those who need the highest level of care,” she said.
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Original post on the Gloucestershire News Centre website
Gloucestershire News Centre