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For immediate release: 28 February 2005
A new initiative with increased funding for assisted living schemes
has been announced by Nick Sanderson, founder of Audley Court. He
is now in partnership with Anton Bilton Chairman of Raven Mount
plc. The new company, Raven Audley Court PLC, will manage their
three existing properties and invest £100million in developing
new schemes throughout the country.
A trailblazer in the field of independent retirement housing, Audley
Court’s current developments at Willicombe Park, Tunbridge
Wells and Hollins Hall, Harrogate, provide self-contained quality
apartments and cottages for retired people in attractive grounds,
with a full range of facilities and 24-hour care available if required.
Raven Audley Court has already acquired Grade 1 listed Flete House,
in South Devon, and refurbished it to the highest standards to provide
30 apartments. Communal facilities include elegant reception rooms,
a restaurant, fabulous gardens, housekeeping and minibus service.
Raven Audley Court is also about to develop an assisted living scheme
at High Royds, Menston, West Yorkshire. The rest of the hospital
site will be developed as a residential village. Two further schemes
are in the pipeline in Kent, and other sites in Scotland, the South
of England and the Midlands are under negotiation.
The cornerstone of the new company’s policy is the standard
of care that is available should residents require it. Each
new development will have a manager, a head of care, and a team
of trained carers. Heads of care are all qualified to NVQ
level 3 or 4, and are committed to training their staff to level
2, as required by the Commission for Social Care Inspection. A resident
who has a health or mobility problem is assessed so that a care
plan can be put in place for as long as it is needed. This
means that residents, who own their properties on a leasehold basis,
can be as independent as they like, but have the security of knowing
that help is available, short or long term.
A further initiative is being trialled at Hollins Hall, Harrogate,
in conjunction with North Yorkshire County Council. Two apartments
are to be used for transitional care, for patients from Harrogate
District Hospital who need no longer be there for medical reasons,
but are not yet ready to go home. At Hollins Hall, the care
staff will help them regain mobility, skills and confidence to look
after themselves again. It is estimated that this will take
from 2 – 4 weeks. This transitional care should prevent
patients staying in hospital longer than necessary, or having to
be readmitted because after discharge they have deteriorated. It
is planned that this facility will be incorporated in any new Audley
Court development.
“I have always believed that older people have a right to enjoy
life, to as much freedom and independence as possible, and to the
security of knowing they have support if they want it,” says
Nick Sanderson. “They should not have to struggle in
their own unsuitable homes or move into care homes they just need
to have the security of knowing the support is there if they need
it. I am delighted that our new company can bring the assisted living
concept to a wider range of the UK public.”
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