Royal Oak care home in Wavertree, built to address the lack of high-quality assisted living in Merseyside, is the latest venture of Liverpool-based developers Elliot Group. Andrew Wright reports.

The brand new state-of-the-art care home was officially opened in Liverpool on Friday by Deputy Mayor Ann O’Byrne, following a rising demand across Merseyside for modern facilities for the elderly.

The building, which is modelled on a hotel, has 74 luxury rooms with a lounge and dining room on each of the three floors. There is a roof deck and a conservatory, and wide corridors allow maximum accessibility for residents. On-site amenities include a hair salon, a nail bar and a shop.

Lyndsey Gladden, Home Manager of Royal Oak Care Home, said: “This is truly a care home of the future, and it’s right here in Liverpool. So many care homes don’t feel like a home at all – they are restrictive, cramped and have a one-size-fits-all approach to giving care.

“This is a place that is modern and considerate, where staff take the time to get to know each and every resident and make them feel at home. Every good care home worker knows that little things go a long way, such as helping residents decorate their rooms their way the want it. Something as simple as hanging a Navy star on a veteran’s wall or putting the number of the house they have lived at all their life on their door can make all the difference. It’s all about thinking of yourself as being in their home, rather than the other way around.

“Preparing to open a care home of this caliber has taken a great deal of preparation, time and planning. We conducted hundreds of interviews to find the right team, and then put everyone through an intensive six-week training course to make sure they were completely confident in offering compassionate care.”

With visiting times at Royal Oak Care Home unrestricted, families are invited to join residents for mealtimes, and there is an extensive activities and exercises programme.

Deputy Mayor Ann O’Byrne said: “It is..with great pleasure that I open the doors of Royal Oak Care Home to the public. This is a place built upon the compassion, care and kindness of Liverpool. It’s a guiding light for future care homes all over the country to aspire to, and it’s an honour to have it here in our city.”