New adult day care centre opened by dementia support workers

Debbie Wilson (58) and Helen Hermoso (53) opened the doors to Vintage Years Adult Day Care at the Unity Centre on Monday (20).

The women worked together at the Alzheimer’s Society in Mexborough for around six years but have now decided to set up their own self-funded service, which will cater for up to about 20 people.

Debbie said: “It’s been in the making for a couple of months, it’s been hard work to get off the ground.”

She added: “We thought this space at the Unity Centre would make a lovely day care centre and the idea just sprung from that.”

The service will cater for lonely elderly people, people with minor learning disabilities, patients with Parkinson’s disease and those who had suffered a stroke.

Debbie said the decision by the borough council to close several adult day care centres in the borough had also spurred them on and given “food for thought”.

She added: “It’s been breaking my heart reading about the closures in the Advertiser as I know how much people caring for dementia sufferers struggle.

“There are other agencies about, but not many and we hear varying reports about them. 

“We’re not trying to say we’re perfect but we bloomin’ care.

“We want to make families welcome as well as we know how much of a struggle it can be — I’m so passionate about it.”

The centre will be open from 10am to 3pm three days a week initially, but this could extend to five days if there was demand, said Debbie.

“If it takes off then we will employ more people, but at first it will just be the two of us,” she added.

“We are open to ideas and if people just want to do a drop-off service while they do their shopping we could offer that.

“We want to make it a lovely space and because its a central location we hope that will help a lot of people.

“We will be doing games, quizzes, exercises, crafts and we have a lovely green space available.

"We want people to come in to that lovely smell of coffee and toast and have a bit of fun.”

The centre will charge £60 per day (five hours of care) to attend which includes snacks and lunch.

For more information, email [email protected] or call 01709 833184.