More independent living options for people with additional needs in Oxfordshire

People in south Oxfordshire who need additional care later in life will soon have access to two new extra care housing facilities in the area.

Poppy Meadows is being delivered by Housing 21, a national leading provider of retirement living and extra care, in partnership with Oxfordshire County Council and Vale of White Horse District Council, supported by the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal. It will provide 80 flats for people wanting to live independently but with extra care available on site.

Councillor Tim Bearder, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, officially opened the show home at Poppy Meadows and said: “Good quality housing with care is a vital component of the Oxfordshire health and wellbeing strategy, with the ultimate aim of enabling people to live and age well.

“Care delivered in an extra care housing setting like Poppy Meadows has a key role in ensuring people are supported to live as independently as possible for as long as possible in their own self-contained flat that also has care and support on site.”

Poppy Meadows, on Greenwood Way in Didcot, is due to open in November 2022, two months ahead of schedule. In Wallingford, a 75-unit scheme called Highcroft is being developed by housing association Soha and is due to open its doors in January 2023. This is in addition to Willow Gardens in Chipping Norton, which provided 80 new extra care flats for residents in April 2022.

Extra care housing is a positive option for anyone over the age of 55 who doesn’t need the fulltime support of a care home but who may not be able to remain in their current home. They might have additional care needs, learning difficulties, mental health concerns or feel isolated or lonely.

Susan Wells, New Homes Sales Manager at Housing 21, said: “We are delighted to open our new show apartment and we can’t wait to start welcoming local people to view their potential future home. Poppy Meadows has been designed with residents in mind and will provide much-needed homes for the people of Didcot, enabling older people to live independently in a beautiful community setting.”

In addition to the freshly decorated homes, Poppy Meadows will also host a range of additional facilities including a resident’s lounge, bistro and hairdressers.

Cllr Bearder continued: “I’m really impressed by what this sort of facility has to offer. Providing someone with their own front door gives them a home of which they can be proud. A safe, comfortable, happy environment where they can live well within, and be a part of their community, for as long as possible.”

Cllr Judy Roberts, Cabinet Member for Development and Infrastructure at Vale of White Horse District Council, said: “We’re very pleased that Poppy Meadows has opened to help bring new affordable extra care homes to our district. The apartments and facilities are impressive and being in a central location on Great Western Park, residents will be able to lead independent lives in the full knowledge they have extra support should they need it.”

Helping people to live well and age well is a crucial ambition of the Oxfordshire Way. The approach, adopted by Oxfordshire County Council, puts individuals at the heart of adult social care decisions, working with partners and volunteer organisations to help people live independently for longer. For more information and advice on ways to support independent living in Oxfordshire, go to livewell.oxfordshire.gov.uk

More information

• For more information about extra care housing, go to oxfordshire.gov.uk/extracare
• Housing 21 is a not-for-profit, leading national provider of Retirement Housing and Extra Care for older people of modest means. We manage over 20,000 properties, providing over 38,000 hours of social care each week.

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