The opening of a new unit to look after people with dementia and other mental health problems was a poignant occasion for social care pioneer Mario Kreft.<\/p>\n
It took place 26 years to the day that his beloved grandmother, Mrs Rene Warburton, who suffered from Alzheimer\u2019s disease, passed away in a care home.<\/p>\n
According to Mr Kreft, it was the need to find suitable care for his grandmother that inspired him to establish the award-winning Pendine Park care organistion.<\/p>\n
The new Plas Gwyn dementia unit at Pendine Park\u2019s Hillbury House, in Hillbury Road, was officially opened by the Mayor of Wrexham, Cllr Ian Roberts, accompanied by the Mayoress, his wife, Hilary.<\/p>\n
Cllr Roberts said: \u201cI was very pleased to be invited to officially open Plas Gwyn.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have been to Hillbury on numerous occasions. It feels like home and I\u2019m sure it feels like home to the people who live here now. The staff are extremely pleasant and there is a lovely atmosphere.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u201cThe standards in the new unit are excellent and I\u2019m sure the care that they provide here is second to none.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u201cThere are a lot of people living a lot longer and obviously dementia comes on which means that more and more care is need whether that is in the community or in a residential setting.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last year the First Minister Carwyn Jones officially opened Bodlondeb, Pendine Park\u2019s new centre of excellence for people with dementia at their site in Summerhill Road. Bodlondeb was named after Mr Kreft\u2019s grandparents\u2019 home in Rhyl.<\/p>\n
According to Mario Kreft, who was awarded an MBE for his contribution to social care, the opening of Plas Gwyn was also a special day.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cIt\u2019s remarkable that we should be opening an EMI residential unit 26 years to the day that I lost my grandmother in an EMI residential unit. It is quite poignant really.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s nearly 30 years ago since we\u2019ve as a family found that we really did need to look for more support than we were able to given and I continue to be inspired by my grandmother.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe really want to provide the best services that we can. It\u2019s something that you have to keep working at, trying to improve all the time.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s all about supporting people, caring for people, working with people \u2013 it is very rewarding in terms of job satisfaction but equally it is very challenging.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe EMI residential unit is about responding to the needs of the community.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a very sad fact that there\u2019s a growing issue in relation to dementia which means there are more and more people who need support.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey certainly all don\u2019t need to be in care homes but for some of those people probably the most appropriate support is with 24 hour supervision, and really unless you\u2019re very wealthy that really can only be provided in a registered care home.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am very proud of what we have achieved here at Plas Gwyn. We have got a great team of people here.\u201d<\/p>\n