ExtraCare

What is ExtraCare?

ExtraCare is one of the options that social care supports as an alternative to the more traditional forms of residential care or sheltered accommodation.

ExtraCare delivers modern purpose built accommodation which has 24-hour care and support available on site to meet the needs and changing expectations of residents, allowing them to live as independently as possible in their own homes.

Extra care housing can provide an alternative to residential care, nursing care and sheltered housing. It aims to provide 'a home for life' for many people even if their care needs change over time.

It is different from the more traditional forms of residential care and sheltered housing allowing people live in their own home at the extra care site as they have their own self-contained home within their own front door.

It is about quality of life not just quality of care with 24-hour care services are located on site, couples and friends can stay together and there is a mix of people with differing levels of need.

Apartments usually consist of either one or two-bedrooms. All apartments have accessible bedrooms, sitting room, separate kitchen area and walk-in shower. They are likely to have communal spaces, community alarms, technology enabled care.

Powys' first ExtraCare facility - Llys Glan-Yr-Afon in Newtown  - opened in 2017, providing 48 apartments in a partnership with Wales and West Housing Association.

Work started in the summer of 2021 in transforming Neuadd Maldwyn in Welshpool into an ExtraCare facility in partnership with ClwydAlyn Housing Association, offering 66 one and two-bedroom apartments for older people from the area. The work is due to be completed in 2023.

Also in the summer of 2021, work began on transforming Ystradgynlais' Pont Aur sheltered housing complex. The development - a joint project by the council and the Pobl Group - will see the existing sheltered housing accommodation upgraded to include an ExtraCare facility, whilst continuing to also accommodate residents with some or no care needs. The scheme will also add 12 more homes for local older people in an extension to the existing building. The work is due to be completed in 2023.

Work is ongoing to identify opportunities to introduce ExtraCare facilities in other towns in the county.