A disaster at home turned into a lucky break for Oxfordshire resident Joyce Weatherhead. Suffering shock and disorientation after her flat was flooded, the 81 year old recuperated in Isis Court care and retirement centre, newly built by Bedfordshire Pilgrims Housing Association (bpha). She was so impressed with the facilities and services there that she decided to stay – and bought an apartment at the project.

The project in the Donnington area of Oxford offers a mix of residential and nursing and extra care housing for 100 older residents. It is one of five schemes built so far under a partnership between bpha and care charity the Orders of St John Care Trust.

They are redeveloping care homes across the county previously run by Oxfordshire County Council. The county council now funds 70% of the new provision, with the rest available for private clients. In addition, people able to live independently like Joyce can opt to rent the apartments built alongside.

bpha knows it has got it right with the new services, because it built a fully fitted room inside a village hall for people to try for themselves. Their comments on the position of plug sockets, switches and how the showers work fed into the final blueprint for the new homes.

The modern approach, which includes an internet café, beauty salon, bar and fully sprung dance floor as well as full care facilities, means residents do not have to move elsewhere as their needs change. That gives huge peace of mind, as Joyce discovered. She was unconscious for three days after her home flooded, and was nursed to recovery over several weeks at Isis Court. She says, “I can do what I want to occupy my time and at the same time I know full well if I want help of any description I can get it.”

Find out more www.bpha.org.uk