World’s first residential centre for dementia carers to be created in Birmingham for £4m

A NEW £4 million training centre for people who care for dementia sufferers is to built in Birmingham.

The hotel-style facility will provide education, training and skills development alongside social and therapeutic support and is thought to be the first of its kind in the world.

Royal Surgical Aid Society, the charity behind the project, said there were more than 700,000 dementia carers in the UK and the new centre would provide support for 1,500 carers every year.

Carers will use the base residential training courses up to four days long.

It will provide state-of-the-art for of facilities, with meeting and conference space, teaching rooms, library, leisure amenities and a number of visitor and staff bedrooms.

The society has commissioned property consultancy Bruton Knowles to find a site for the flagship dementia carers centre.

Claire Goodchild, chief executive of the Royal Surgical Aid Society, said: “The centre will be a major innovation in the way in which family and friends who care for people with dementia can get the support they need to enhance their caring skills, access information and receive social therapeutic interventions.

“Designed to be carer- and dementia-friendly, based upon domestic settings in ordinary housing, not institutional or care facilities, the centre will be an exemplar of good design, providing a sanctuary where carers can relax and de-stress.

“Having considered a number of cities, Birmingham was the ideal choice due to its central location, access to transport links and proximity to our academic partner, the Association of Dementia Studies at the University of Worcester.

“We’re very much looking forward to working with local partners to create this internationally significant centre.”

Ian Mercer, partner and head of development at property consultancy Bruton Knowles, is advising the society on the project.

He said: “We are extremely excited to be working on such an important project that will help change the lives of the thousands of people who work tirelessly and unselfishly caring for loved ones with dementia.

“The flagship facility will not only be the first of its kind in the UK but the first anywhere in the world and it will be right here in Birmingham.

“We’re considering all options for the premises but the preference is for either an existing building of around 18,000 sq ft that can be converted or a fouracre plot of land for a purposebuilt facility.”