MP opens new wing for couples at care home (From Salisbury Journal)

MP opens new wing for couples at care home

12:00pm Saturday 8th September 2012 in Headlines

A NEW wing for couples was officially opened at a Ringwood residential home by Desmond Swayne on Saturday.

Surrounded by 60 residents of Mary Mitchell Close, their friends and family, the Pauline Wareham wing was opened.

The late Pauline Wareham bequeathed her house and garden to Ringwood and District Old People’s Housing Society following her death in 2007.

Now the charity has used the money from the sale of the house to convert four bedsits into four state-of-the-art flats with|balconies, which enable couples to stay together.

Society chairman Frances Bowen said: “We had a wonderful day. After the new wing was opened we walked to Greyfriars Community Centre for afternoon tea.

“The new wing is lovely and it enables couples to continue living together in a safe environment where friends and family can have the peace of mind that they are being cared for by our wardens who visit each day.

“More and more people are living longer and having these flats available gives them the chance to downsize and pay rents which are more affordable than market rents.”