A NEW £115,000 unit to help older people regain their independence after a stay in hospital is being opened in Okehampton tomorrow (Friday.)
The Wardhayes Reablement Unit in Simmons Way will now act as a vital staying post between hospital and a return home for up to 40 people a year.
It has been converted by Devon County Council from part of the existing Wardhayes Residential Home and is designed to help up to five people at any one time to re-learn essential living skills such as cooking and personal care.
The maximum stay at the unit will be six to eight weeks during which time support will be on-hand 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Clients will experience an active environment including physiotherapy and occupational therapy designed to restore lost skills and abilities.
Individual rehabilitation programmes will be drawn up for each resident to cover areas such a mobility, personal care and managing household chores.
Devon County Council Social Services chairman Mervyn Lane said: 'We now have a dozen units of this kind across the county and together with the care and support delivered direct to people's homes more and more elderly can have the choice to stay in their own homes for as long as they can.
'I am pleased we can now offer the full range of community care services at Wardhayes.'