Social entrepreneurs Rosie Whittington, Amanda Cronin and Angela Mason have opened the Me2U Centre in Kirkby which will offer respite care to visitors as well as support to carers. Kirsten Hawkins reports
Three Merseyside women have realised their dream of opening a day care centre for elderly people living with dementia.
The Me2U Centre in Kirkby will offer respite care to visitors as well as support to carers. The centre can host up to 20 people during the day and there are plans to include overnight respite care for up to six people.
Mental health nurse and mum-of-four Rosie Whittington was the visionary behind the project, collaborating with social worker Amanda Cronin and friend Angela Mason to create a “hub” within the community.
The centre has been entirely self-funded and it is hoped it will provide a stimulating environment full of activities for elderly people living with the condition, while carers can have a few hours off.
Ms Whittington explained: “We want people to come to us who carers are struggling to care for. We want to try our best to accommodate. Even if that person’s perceived to have special needs, we want to be able to care for them in our centre.”
Ms Cronin stated that the aim was to provide a flexible service for the community where anyone in crisis can find support – as well as providing outreach work.
The centre was opened at the end of February by guest of honour Tony McGann who fought to establish the Eldonians housing cooperative in the 1980s.
Mr McGann said: “You get a lot of things for dementia, different treatments and all that, but these ladies, I think they are going to go a bit further and look at the gap that’s left. And I think these ladies have taken that up.”
Mr McGann has been instrumental in fundraising for the centre. So far, he and the Eldonian community have raised £3,000 that will go towards a non slip floor and sensory garden. Currently, the Me2U Centre is only open at the weekends, but the founders plan to extend the opening hours.