The 60 bed home is being built on the site of the former Drumbrae Primary School and is due to open in spring 2013. The facility will replace two of the Council’s older care homes – Clermiston House and The Tower Care Home.
Councillor Paul Edie, Health Leader for Edinburgh, said: “I am really pleased that work has started on the next modern care home commissioned by this Council. This will be a boost for the local community by bringing in new employment opportunities and lead to more jobs in the long term.
“As a Council we have a responsibility to offer high quality residential care for older people in the city and it’s important they have choice in the care they receive. Drumbrae will widen this choice and I am sure the care delivered will be first class. Our commitment to ensuring older people are looked after has already been demonstrated by our latest state-of-the-art care home Inch View which opened earlier in the summer. This facility gives residents the opportunity to stay in accommodation which is more suitable to their needs and gives them a better standard of living.”
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Neil McFarlane, regional director of GRAHAM Construction, said: “We are tremendously proud to be continuing our involvement with City of Edinburgh Council and their Live Well in Later Life strategy. Drumbrae will be the fourth care home GRAHAM will complete under this initiative having already delivered Craigmillar, North Merchiston and Inch View care homes.”
The new home boasts four wings of 15 bedrooms, each with their own sitting and dining areas. Each bedroom will have en-suite shower rooms and assisted bathrooms.
The wings are arranged around a central courtyard and accessible garden allowing the more vulnerable residents freedom within a secure environment.
All the council’s new care homes include activity rooms, hairdressing rooms and support facilities.
The new facilities form part of the phased replacement of older style council care homes which now need to be upgraded.
(GK)
