Carl Sargeant visits ground breaking new £10m dementia care facility

A £9.86M housing complex with 15 purpose-built apartments for people with dementia is believed to be the first of its kind in Wales.
Minister for Housing and Regeneration Carl Sargeant visited the state-of-the-art extra care/dementia care development Llys Jasmine in Mold last Thursday, to see first hand the benefits this new facility offers older people with care and support needs.

Llys Jasmine, a complex of 61 apartments and two extra care bungalows, has been developed by Wales & West Housing in partnership with Flintshire County Council, and includes 15 purpose-built apartments for people with dementia.

The facility has been part funded by a £6.07m Social Housing Grant from the Welsh Government and is believed to be the first of its kind in Wales to include such purpose-built apartments for dementia sufferers.

Mr Sargeant said: “I am delighted to be here to see this wonderful new specialist housing complex that will soon be opening to residents. I am sure that these state-of-the-art facilities will make a real difference to the lives of those who are lucky enough to make this their home.

“The Welsh Government contributed £6m towards the cost of the scheme and this is money well spent. In addition to these wonderful new facilities, the construction work has provided much needed jobs and training opportunities for local people including 17 apprenticeships for joiners, bricklayers, ground workers, plasterers, electrical and mechanical trades.”

Key features of the development, which has been designed by architects Ainsley Gommon and built by Anwyl Construction, include 24 hour on-site care and support, a communal restaurant providing hot meals for residents and people from the local community, and hairdressing and laundry facilities.

Due for completion in September the apartments are being made available for affordable rent to people aged 65 and over with care and support needs. Demand has been very high and WWH and FCC social care teams have been allocating apartments on the basis of need with Llys Jasmine’s first residents due to move in within the next few weeks.

Cllr Helen Brown, Flintshire County Council’s cabinet member for housing, said: “Extra Care schemes are enabling older people to have a new choice of housing and are making a real difference to people’s lives. We look forward to the opening in a few weeks of this latest scheme in Mold.”

Cllr Christine Jones,  cabinet member for social services, added: “We already have a successful scheme in Shotton and now we look forward to opening this latest scheme in Mold.”