The Me2u Centre is a dementia daycare facility in Kirkby, which opened its doors in 2018 with a mission to change the culture of dementia, removing stigma and providing a positive, stimulating environment for those living with dementia, while offering respite and peace of mind to their carers.

Founded by mental health nurse, Rosie Whittington, and supported by a close-knit, family-orientated team, the centre provides person-centred care, which has adopted ground-breaking methods from the Green Farm Model in the Netherlands. 

By providing a safe environment for those living with dementia, carers can feel assured that their loved ones are receiving the best care standard while they take time out to care for themselves. 

And the Me2u team has seen first-hand that taking a preventative, ‘not just insight but foresight’ approach to care, and shining a light for the people that need them, delays those with dementia being hospitalised or admitted to full-time residential care.

Me2u’s vision is to become leaders in a new approach to the way our culture views ageing and dementia. 

The Project

The Me2u team is now planning to expand to a second location in Huyton, taking over a decommissioned council building and repurposing it to further dementia care within the UK.

The renovation costs for the building have been estimated at £500k. The Me2u team now needs to raise £300k in funds and through in-kind services to put a bid forward to Knowsley Council to secure the project.

The new Me2u centre will provide a flexible day support service that enhances individuals’ quality of life and well-being, while optimising the cognitive and physical abilities of older adults with dementia and helping them to remain as independent as possible in their own homes.

It will be a space to give local residents the specialist care they need while respecting their rights, strengths and values. It will promote participation from all aspects of community life by facilitating visits from young people, hosting social events, and spreading awareness of dementia, its causes, prevention, and its challenges.

There will be an onsite hairdresser, a cinema room, private consultation rooms for health visitors, a wet room and a light therapy room. They will also offer a wide range of activities, including gardening and flower arranging, art and craft, board games and singalongs. 

Carers will be able to take advantage of holistic therapy sessions and carer support groups, as well as receive expert advice on dementia care and diagnoses. In addition, as a CQC-registered facility, they will be able to provide domiciliary care to those above and below 65 years.

What is dementia?

Dementia is an umbrella term for various progressive conditions affecting the brain. Each type of dementia stops a person’s brain cells from working correctly in specific areas, affecting their ability to remember, think and speak. Doctors typically use the word ‘dementia’ to describe common symptoms, such as memory loss, confusion, and problems with speech and understanding, that worsen over time.

Dementia can affect a person at any age, but it’s more common in people over 65.

There are over 200 subtypes of dementia. The most common are Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia and mixed dementia. 40% of people with dementia have one or two other health conditions and 48% have three or more. This means that caring for people with dementia often requires specialist care.

Dementia in the UK

• More than half of UK adults know someone who has been diagnosed with dementia

• 1 in 3 people born in the UK this year will develop dementia in their lifetime

• There are 944,000 people with dementia in the UK. This will increase to over one million by 2030 and over 1.6 million by 2050

• The cost of dementia is expected to almost double by 2050, from £25bn in 2021 to £47bn in 2050

• 1 out of 4 hospital beds are occupied by people living with dementia who are over 65

Me2u is a Community Interest Company meaning it is a privately owned company existing to benefit the community rather than its private shareholders. 

* All statistics sourced from dementiastatistics.org and correct at the time of publishing.