What is Supported Housing ?
Supported housing provides disabled people with their own front door, independent living in their own home but on site care and support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
What is Westwood Park ?
Westwood Park Supported Housing Scheme is a partnership project between Bradford Social Services and Habinteg Housing Association Ltd but was designed with disabled people. Residents continue to have a say in the way the scheme works and there is an active residents group.
Westwood Park Supported Housing scheme provides homes for 50 disabled people. There is a site estate manager employed by Habinteg Housing Association Ltd who is available 5 days a week and an onsite ‘community support’ team, who provide round the clock support and help to residents.
What facilities are there at Westwood Park?
There are 44 accessible housing units including:
- An extra care block with communal facilities and 20 one bedroom flats
- 15 two bedroom bungalows
- A bungalow style block with 5 one bedroom flats
- A bungalow block with 4 one bedroom flats and staff accommodation
- A respite care unit with 3 one bedroom flats (plus staff flat) and 6 two bedroom sheltered bungalows for people over 60 years of age.
- The scheme is wheelchair accessible throughout , with extra wide corridors. All flats have an alarm call facility, some with remote control entry.
All flats are designed for easy installation of hoists to help with moving and handling and have space so that special equipment can be added as needed.
Communal facilities include:
- Communal lounges
- Restaurant providing freshly cooked meals daily
- Assisted bathrooms
- Shop
- Therapy room
- Guest suite
- Staff Offices, restroom and sleepover accommodation
- Laundry
- Mobility room for recharging of wheelchairs
- Dog exercise area in grounds
Here are some examples of people who live at Westwood Park or use the facilities it provides.
Alan
Alan is 48 and has no living relatives. He has a condition affecting his hands and therefore finds it difficult doing many everyday tasks.
Alan has been attending the respite unit at Westwood Park for the last three years because he was finding it increasingly difficult to manage at home. This was partly because where he lived was not suitable for his needs. The team at Westwood Park supported him to apply for re housing and eventually to move.
Alan now receives daily contact from the community homecare team and attends a resource centre 5 days a week. He continues to use Westwood Park respite unit every 5 weeks for a week's stay.
Alan says
‘Without the support and encouragement from the staff my life would have become completely unbearable. I am far happier now and cannot thanks the staff enough for all the support they have given me’
Andrew and Joanne
Andrew is 43 and has been blind since child hood, he now lives independently at Wagtail with his wife Joanne who has a disability.
They met whilst attending a day centre and eventually married and had their own room at a residential unit. It soon became evident that they were far too independent to live in residential accommodation and when Westwood Park was completed they moved into one of the bungalows. After initially needing the full support of the staff team, they have become more independent and now receive only a daily lunch call and assistance with shopping once a fortnight
Joanne says
‘You’ve got your own privacy, you can do what you want, it’s fantastic. I just can’t say how happy I am to have a place of my own’
Elaine
Elaine is 30 years old and uses a wheelchair, she lived at home with her parents for many years and used a residential home for a break sometimes. Eventually she recognized she needed more independence and initially moved into a shared house where volunteers provided support. She wanted to live in her own property, so moved into a home at Westwood Park. She has support from the care team that fits her needs and enables her to do the things she wants, like attending college and going on outings.
Elaine said
‘through the volunteers , I am looking forward to getting out and about more to enhance my quality of life’
John
John is 28 and lived at home with his parents and brother who helped him with all aspects of his care.
He started to visit the Respite Unit at Westwood Park for short stay visits and eventually built up his confidence to stay for a week at a time.
John has improved his skills and made new friends and recognized his need for independence. When he was eventually given the opportunity of a flat at Westwood Park he and his parents had some worries.
However he is slowly achieving the independent lifestyle that should be available to everyone
In John's own words
‘Moving to Westwood Park has made me happy and I feel excited for what the future might bring’
Luke
Luke is 27 and had an accident whilst on holiday, resulting in him not being able to use his arms and legs.
Luke wanted to live in Bradford, as this was where his family and friends were, but he also wanted to be as independent as his disability would allow. He consequently moved to a bungalow at Westwood Park where he now has support from the Care Team which allows him to manage a busy social life.
Luke says
‘There’s more independence, more time on my own, there’s more space. It’s my own building rather than living in a shared building. I think it’s just more independent’
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