All aboard at Stroud care home

Home news

Feb 27, 2020

There were certainly no leaves or delays on the line when residents enjoyed a trip on a specially installed railway carriage at a Stroud care home.

The team at Care UK’s Scarlet House, on Westward Road, has invested in its existing railway room, initially installed to support dementia patients, as a result of the positive impact that the experience is having on all residents.

The ‘Scarlet Express’ boasts rolling countryside views, a warm and dry waiting room and vintage Great Western Railway crockery, enabling residents to enjoy the romance of rail without leaving the building.

Kate Stevens, home manager at Scarlet House, said: “Here at Scarlet House we firmly believe that activity based care is essential in supporting residents to lead fulfilling lives. We created a simple railway installation in the home several years ago, built around a 60-inch TV screen to trial the technology. As a result of the response we’ve had from residents, several upgrades have been made to enhance the feature. This has made the railway carriage more accessible, to more residents, and more engaging for existing ‘passengers’.”

The Scarlet Express now sits in the centre of the home’s dementia suite, opposite a lounge area, otherwise known as the waiting room. An adjacent corridor acts as a platform and passengers can enjoy a real sense of a carriage set-up, thanks to the authentic seating, surrounds and vintage memorabilia ranging from suitcases to tickets.

Kate Stevens adds: “Many residents are unable or find it challenging to head out, so this is a case of bringing the travel experience to them. The interactive feature brings powerful benefits to all residents, especially those with dementia, as it enables them to become immersed in the atmosphere, generating positive memories of family holidays and time with loved ones. It also acts as a fantastic talking point when friends and relatives join us in the home, because it is a great setting to come to and enjoy afternoon tea and a good chat. We hope to add some extra train journeys to our current ‘timetable’, taking residents further afield to enjoy more reminiscences.”

Scarlet House is a state-of-the-art care home provides full-time residential, nursing, dementia care, as well as short-term respite care. The care home, which features 86 en-suite bedrooms, has been designed to enable its residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence. The care home incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities and includes its own cinema, hairdressing salon and café.

To find out more about the home please email Katerina Pippi, customer relations manager, at Katerina.Pippi@careuk.com or call 01453 557 414.      

For more general information about Scarlet House please visit careuk.com/scarlet-house