Discover the pioneering work being done at Brendoncare Otterbourne Hill

Brendoncare Otterbourne Hill opened in August 2018 as is Brendoncare’s first ‘shared care’ development, offering a range of care services in Hampshire to individuals and families living with dementia, with the aim of supporting people to live the best possible quality of life following a diagnosis.

Claire Boyd-Leslie, Customer Relations Manager at Brendoncare Otterbourne Hill, says:

“Three years ago I walked around Otterbourne Hill when it was just a shell, trying to visualise what it would be like. I never imagined the impact that this facility would have on people affected by dementia, helping and supporting over 200 people and their families, providing respite for carers and supporting the community.’

Alzheimer’s Research UK reports that 34.5 million of us know someone living with dementia and 1 in 3 people born in the UK this year will develop dementia in their lifetime. Dementia continues to be a devastating disease having a profound emotional, psychological and physical impact on an individual’s and their family’s life.

View a list of our frequently asked questions about specialist dementia care services on offer in Brendoncare homes.

What care services are there at Otterbourne Hill?

Otterbourne Hill care home delivers a pioneering model of care in Hampshire with a vision to support people and their families to live the best possible quality of life following a diagnosis of dementia. Its three core services have gone from strength to strength with positive, life-changing impacts on the lives of its residents, their families and the local community.

• Otterbourne Mews ‘shared care’ apartments support over 20 couples affected by dementia to remain living together and stay independent, with access to the right care and support whenever they need it. In a 2019 Mews survey, 100% of residents felt they were treated by staff with kindness, dignity and respect, and all would highly recommend Otterbourne Mews. Find out more about our close care apartments to rent.
• Otterbourne Court provides 165 people with exceptional, dementia-friendly, residential and nursing care in a homely environment, with communal to private areas. Our residential home in Hampshire gives residents as much independence or privacy as they need. To discover more, click here.
• Otterbourne community hub supports 130 residents and the outside community through its wide range of 14 dementia-friendly activity clubs in Hampshire. These include visits from outside groups such as playgroups, schools, colleges and local businesses. In a 2019 hub survey, over 90% of people surveyed had made new friendships as a result of taking part in community hub activities.

Following the first lockdown in March 2020, both the residents and staff at Otterbourne Hill care home adapted quickly to change. Family visits were restricted and all communal residents’ and hub activities were suspended in order to adhere to social distancing measures.

A positive response to COVID-19

Despite the continued daily challenges of daily life in the midst of a pandemic, care home and community hub staff have gone to extraordinary lengths to provide the best support to everyone, including residents, their families and the local hub community.

Some of the extra support measures include:

• Bringing creative solutions to socially distancing restrictions. For example, helping residents to stay in vital contact with their loved ones through video calls, telephone conversations, email and social media. Garden visits have also been popular.
• Maintaining vital connections and offering support to their local community. Over 700 catch up phone calls have been made by staff to hub members, offering support to their carers.
• Delivering vital supplies such as 170 cream tea and Christmas cheer parcels were dropped off as part of a varied support programme.
• Organising virtual club sessions via Zoom for over 80 attendees.

View our latest COVID-19 guidance and FAQ on visiting

Claire Boyd Leslie summarises Otterbourne Hill’s inspirational model of care. She says it unfailingly strives to offer the best quality of life for those impacted by dementia, whatever the challenges they face:

“I am proud to work for Brendoncare as an organisation and to be part of this amazing project.”

This blog was written by Brendoncare’s Trust Fund Manager, Joanna Jackson. Joanna also recently published the latest impact report for Otterbourne Hill, which details the positive results our high levels of care have had on the lives of older people since opening.

To learn more about our Otterbourne care home, call Claire Boyd-Leslie on 0300 303 4866 or visit our dedicated Otterbourne Hill page. You can also take an interactive, 360-degree tour of the home.