Botelho Wood Selected For Seniors Day Centre
The Government of Bermuda today announced that Botelho Wood Architects has been selected as the design firm for the island’s new Seniors Day Centre, a key initiative arising from the National Seniors Strategy 2024.
A Government spokesperson said, “The strategy identified the urgent need to expand access to day services to ensure that Bermuda’s ageing population has the support required to age in place, while easing pressures on working families caring for their senior relatives.”
Minister of Youth, Social Development and Seniors Tinee Furbert said, “This project will directly support seniors but also families, especially those in the ‘sandwich generation’, who are raising children and working while caring for their senior parents. The new Seniors Day Centre will provide essential relief to families by offering high-quality, professional care and specialised programming during the work week, taking into consideration seniors living with dementia.”
The spokesperson said, “To address these needs, the Government committed to establishing a subsidised day centre designed to reduce both the emotional and financial burdens on families, while ensuring seniors receive the services necessary to maintain independence and a high quality of life. The Ministry of Youth, Social Development and Seniors worked in partnership with the Department of Public Lands and Buildings to develop a Request for Proposals. Four architectural firms initially expressed interest, with three submitting proposals. Following a comprehensive evaluation process, Botelho Wood Architects was selected.
“Over the past three months, Botelho Wood Architects has worked diligently to develop concept designs for the centre. The design process has involved consultation with Government and non-government day service providers, clinicians, and dementia experts, ensuring that the facility reflects best practice standards and incorporates dementia-friendly design principles.
“The proposed design provides a fully accessible, dementia-friendly environment able to accommodate a minimum of 50 clients considering care needs. Key features include dedicated and adaptable activity rooms, clinical spaces, multiple dining areas, an industrial kitchen, and secure indoor and outdoor garden areas with safe walking routes. Flexibility is central to the layout, with opportunities for community engagement and after-hours use built into the design.
“The plans utilise two existing buildings, which will undergo renovation and be linked by a new central entrance and a spacious wrap-around porch to enhance access, safety and flow throughout the facility.
“This project marks an important step in strengthening the supports available to Bermuda’s seniors and the families who care for them.”
Renderings of the planned facilities
We look forward to the ground breaking. Desperately needed.
We don’t need ‘senior daycare centres’ we need affordable full time senior residences with live in or on shift workers.
The number of seniors who have the capability and desire to leave their home for part of the day is minimal compared to those that are home bound and need constant care.
Looks beautiful and much needed!
Building a seniors Day centre is much needed and applaud you Bothelo for working on this. I am however dissapointed that your plans show you are turning the football field into a parking lot. Please leave the football field as it is. There are so few left for the community. It is noticed all over the island that open spaces are carved away for parking lots. Soon there will be no open space left. Perhaps you can work with adjusting the existing land so that there is parking not on the football field. Seemed to work just fine with the school there and they didn’t need to asphalt the field over.
Where is this location? Whatever happened to the school in Paget that was to be ready as a seniors daycare THIS year?
Nobody knows where??? No excuse from the Government why the one supposedly going to be operational this year in Paget is not open?
Meanwhile the early boomer generation does not stop getting older as they wait. They are hitting their 80s now and needed the senior facilities like 10 years ago. The big boom is about to hit and the Government is not prepared for it.
What in the design of this Day centre makes it “Dementia Friendly”?
Good question. Whoever made that statement will be sure to forget to answer it.