Hica in £21m expansion plan
CARE group Hica has announced plans to invest £21m to build five new specialist care homes in a move that will create 450 jobs.
The Hull-based independent not-for-profit group, which has a turnover of £31m and employs 2,500 staff caring for 4,000 people in care homes, in their own homes and in “lifestyle villages”.
As part of the expansion to build the new specialist dementia care homes Hica plans to sell nine of its existing care homes which it said are not deemed suitable for providing advanced dementia care.
The new purpose-built care homes will each accommodate between 60 and 90 people and will feature state-of-the-art dementia care facilities and services.
The first home will be built in East Yorkshire with construction due to begin in the autumn, while Hica will build additional care homes in the East Riding, North Yorkshire and along the M62 corridor.
Hica Care Homes managing director Ty Platten said: “One in three people over the age of 65 will develop some form of dementia and when the person can no longer be supported and cared for at home, a specialist dementia care home such as ours will not only provide the appropriate care and support but will offer specialist environments to enhance and enable people to live well and live safely. We have the expertise, the specialist training and commitment to make a genuine difference to the lives of people living with dementia.”
“Hica is already recognised as a leader in specialist dementia care following the success of The Lodge facility in Chorley, Lancashire, which we opened five years ago in a joint venture operation,” he added.
The Lodge, which it developed with Yorkshire construction firm Caddick Group was the first care establishment in the UK to gain a gold standard under an accreditation scheme launched by the University of Stirling’s Dementia Services Development Centre to promote dementia friendly design in buildings.
Hica will incorporate award-winning elements of The Lodge into its new care home design. These will include facilities such as cinemas, potting sheds, indoor gardens, activities kitchens and reminiscence rooms; each used to reconnect residents with life skills, whilst also encouraging new skills.
The nine care homes to be sold by Hica are Longhill House, Hull; Holyrood House and Albemarle, Hedon; Parklands, Rawcliffe; Danes Lea, Bridlington; Alderlea, Humberston; Huntleigh Lodge, Cleethorpes; The Anchorage, Grimsby; and Stanage Lodge, Grimsby. It has instructed the specialist property agent DC Care to assist in the disposal.
Mr Platten said: “It is important to emphasise that we are selling each of these homes as a going concern and it is expected that the new owners will simply continue the good work that the homes have provided to the community over the years. Residents will not be affected and as ownership is transferred, staff will continue in their existing roles, thus providing continuation of care and support.”
