A new housing development in Fort Augustus has been designed to bridge the gap between full-time care and entirely independent living.
The Telford Centre housing development features six houses which introduce a new form of adapted living.
Part of the Telford Centre Care Home, the project aims to support residents in their needs and desires to stay home and live independently for longer.
The houses are all self-contained and have been adapted to the needs of anyone who may choose to live in them.
They are suitable for wheelchair users, have their own kitchen facilities and the floorplans have been designed with accessibility in mind.
Each home also has a room which can be used flexibly by the resident, as a dining room or guest room for example.
While living in the new development, residents will still be able to receive at-home care.
The clustered nature of the new homes means that care givers are able to visit residents easily without having to travel long distances between them.
Development is a ‘fresh’ approach to meet housing needs
Highland Council leader Margaret Davidson explained that different teams came together to make the project a reality.
She said: “Development of adapted houses is not new to the council, but this pilot takes the fresh step of building the units in the grounds of the Telford Centre Care Home to provide the missing link between living independently and entering a formal care setting.
“We’ve worked closely with the NHS and with the local community company, who kindly provided some of the land needed to enlarge the care home garden sufficiently for the six units we have built, and I think the project is a splendid example of how partnership working can bring tangible benefits to communities.
“I am sure the new residents will be very happy in their new homes.”
Residents will also have access to outdoor spaces, with patio doors opening out on to garden space as well as Telford Care Home‘s existing garden space.
This has recently undergone refurbishment as part of the project, with the patio being re-laid and the gazebo refurbished.
New benches and planters have also been put in, as well as paths improved for mobility scooter usage.
Harry Whiteside, chairman of the Fort Augustus and Glenmoriston Community Company said: “Access to affordable housing is crucial for sustaining rural communities, and we were pleased to be able to support Highland Council with this project through the sale of a piece of community owned land.
“The new bungalows will be a great asset to the community, allowing elderly residents and those with mobility issues to live in the village, with easy access to facilities and the Telford Centre.”