Bedwardine Court, Worcester (New Build)
Bedwardine Court is a newly built specialist supported housing scheme of 20 self-contained flats in Worcestershire which Civitas purchased upon completion. Inclusion Housing are the registered provider and responsible for carrying out repairs, looking after the building and ensuring it remains suitable for each resident. Lifeways are the care provider, they work closely with the local authority to ensure residents move in comfortably and provide the appropriate care and support 24/7, making sure residents are assisted with carrying out daily tasks like cooking, washing and general household administration.
The building supports residents with a range of care needs including learning disabilities, autism and mental health conditions such as cerebral palsy, some individuals also have a physical disability.
Given the complex care needs residents have, Lifeways, alongside local authority commissioners, have been carefully planning each move in stages with ten residents having already moved in. Residents have moved from a mixture of specialist facilities as well as some who are coming directly from their family home, having been waiting for suitable accommodation for some time. Residents have also been identified for the remaining ten flats and are expected to have all moved into Bedwardine Court in early 2020.
The building has been designed to promote independence with each resident having their own flat. Every flat has one bedroom, a kitchen and living area, a wet room (which is fitted with appropriate adaptations where required) as well as having space for storage. The flats all came with white goods.
Within the building there is also a communal living area, where residents can interact with one another outside of their own flat and has been used to host film nights and most recently a Halloween party.