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Opening the Jersey first nursing and dementia unit for elderly islanders with learning disabilities and complex needs will be Les Amis' biggest project in 2018, but the charity is still looking for the "perfect location" after plans to build in St Clement fell through.
The new unit would enable staff and nurses to provide provide 24-hour care and long-term residential accommodation to adults with learning disabilities who have nursing needs and may have also developed complex needs or dementia.
Amid a busy end of year and a variety of Christmas activities, which helped the charity to raise over £1,430, the team at Les Amis told Express what they hope for in 2018...
"Our wish for 2018 is that Les Amis finds the perfect location to start building our new nursing and complex needs unit for people with learning disabilities.
"At Les Amis we support people who live with us on either a permanent or semi-permanent basis. Our residents are like family and we want to look after them for the duration of their lives.
"Upon reaching old age, Les Amis residents are at a higher risk of developing complex needs, which may require registered nursing care. At the moment, we currently do not employ registered nurses so when a resident requires one, they have to move to a nursing care provider.
Pictured: Les Amis recently received a visit from their patrons, the Lieutenant Governor of Jersey Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton and Lady Dalton.
"Change is distressing for our residents and moving to a care-home when they are at their most vulnerable is detrimental to their mental well-being. The move is even more upsetting for our residents with dementia, and sadly our residents are five times more likely to develop a dementia type condition than the general population.
"Finding the perfect location for our nursing and complex needs unit would be a win for the island (creating more beds for our ageing population), a win for the charity (being able to care for our residents into old age), and most importantly a win for our residents and service users. If our residents are happy then we are happy, and that is all we can ask for in 2018."
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