Two excellent days spent at Excel at The Care Show speaking, listening and learning about all things design and care. The volume and calibre of delegates was huge and the team had many plentiful conversations around design, operator challenges and successes plus many, many debates over the Lego models!

The Lego models offered 3 streams based on the brief of how do you see care provision in the future (there were differing perspectives on who far away the ‘future’ is…):

Flotilla of Care – all aboard! Living on a water based craft where the scenery changes every day. Encouraging activity through water based sports

Harmony Gardens – dementia friendly wander routes with housing in smaller cluster groups with specialist carers in each house with central communal areas to encourage social interaction amongst residents

Alfesco Care – fully embracing the outside with every part of care being outdoors from the kitchen to band stand (beds are obviously inside!)

Visitors to the stand cast votes and Alfresco Care was the overall winner….and set the competition for future events!