Adelaide house brochure

Adelaide House A specialist facility to support ex-service personnel

An idyllic location Situated in West Malvern overlooking the picturesque Malvern Hills, Adelaide House is a charming old-style building located in an area of outstanding natural beauty.

It will become a specialist centre for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for ex-service personnel who require on-going rehabilitation. The centre will consist of a core unit offering 10 residential beds in well apportioned rooms with modern facilities.

The house and its location provide an ideal therapeutic environment to engage sufferers of PTSD in interventions that are effective in helping them to manage their symptoms and recovery. A dedicated team of staff will develop a rehabilitation plan with individuals to focus on maximising their optimum potential. The centre will also provide pre– employment training which has the potential to lead on to work opportunities with Mears Group and Travis Perkins Group.

Refurbishment of the site to make it suitable for use will be carried out by Mears with all materials being supplied by Travis Perkins. Both Mears and Travis Perkins are donating their materials and skilled labour in recognition of the importance of the facilities to troops returning from active service. They hope that this will be the first step along a path that, for some, could lead to retraining and employment.

Post-traumatic stress disorder Post-traumatic stress disorder is an anxiety disorder caused by very stressful, frightening or distressing events. PTSD can develop immediately after someone experiences a disturbing event or it can occur weeks, months or even as late as 15 years later.

A total of 94 members of the armed forces were newly registered as suffering the disorder between July and September last year, nearly four times the 25 diagnoses recorded in the same period in 2008.

There were 305 new cases of PTSD among UK troops in the 12 months to September 2012, double the 153 logged in 2007 to 2008, according to statistics released by the Defence Analytical Services and Advice. Rates of mental disorders were found to be significantly higher in personnel who had served in Iraq or Afghanistan. Women, soldiers, RAF personnel and non-officer ranks were also more likely to suffer mental health problems.

The Adelaide House project was prompted by a recognition of the moral obligation the nation has to members of the armed services and their families. It brings together public and private resources to the ongoing and increasing need for rehabilitation services.

A person with PTSD will often relive the traumatic event through nightmares and flashbacks, and have feelings of isolation, irritability and guilt. The symptoms are often severe and persistent enough to have a significant impact on the persons day-to-day life.

The tranquil environment of Adelaide House will provide a safe space for people to work at a pace that is suitable for their own recovery journey. The house and nature of the support will provide a neutral environment which will ensure that those veterans taking part will have increased opportunities to enable them to enjoy a more independent future.

The support model The rehabilitation centre will be operated as a partnership between Rooftop Housing Group and Heritage Care Group, who provide specialist mental health services. The Partnership will run the service throughout the year and forecasts that each individual will have an average stay of eight weeks. This means that up to 65 members of the armed services community are likely to benefit from the service per year.

The service will primarily support those individuals who have completed the three stages of rehabilitation currently employed as part of the pathway, but who need a period of on-going support to enable them to enjoy a more independent future or gain employment opportunities.

A particularly important feature of this project will be the increased employment opportunities for those on the programme.

Recovery is...

“A deeply personal and unique process of changing ones attitudes, values, feelings, goals skills/and or roles. It is a way of living a satisfying, hopeful and contributing life even with the limitations caused by the illness. Recovery involves the development of new meaning and purpose in one’s life as one grows beyond the catastrophic effects of mental illness�

Anthony 1993

The service model will include on site care and support from a dedicated team of staff who will aim to provide the individual with the skills and coping strategies to manage their well-being and live a valued life.

Goals and key milestones will be used to both motivate and challenge individuals, with clear outcomes identified at the point of admission.

Development plans Adelaide House has spacious grounds and Travis Perkins and Mears have undertaken to construct a new build within the grounds that will include a gym, therapy rooms and a training suite.

Ground floor plans

First floor plans

Gym/training suite plans

Adelaide House

Rooftop Housing Group 70 High Street, Evesham Worcestershire WR11 4YD 01386 420800

A specialist facility to support ex-service personnel

www.rooftopgroup.org @Rooftop_Housing