Veteran Friendly Status For Two Huddersfield Care Homes
TWO Huddersfield care homes have been declared “Veteran Friendly” after receiving accreditation by an armed forces charity backed scheme.
Aden Mount Care Home and Aden View Care Home, both on Perseverance Street, Primrose Hill, have now received Veteran Friendly Framework (VFF) status – certifying the enhanced care and support for veterans living at the homes.
The VFF initiative was launched in 2023 with the aim of tackling loneliness and isolation and delivering improved health and wellbeing outcomes for over 25,000 veterans living in care homes across England.
It is a collaboration between Armed Forces charities Royal Star & Garter and Royal British Legion, and NHS Veterans’ Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA), with funding support from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust.
Staff, residents and veterans at the Hill Care Group operated care homes have been celebrating their VFF status with friends and family members since receiving their certificates.
Among the veterans living at Aden View Care Home is 88-year-old John Rogers, who served as a Gunner in the Royal Artillery Regiment of The British Army from 1958-60 as part of his national service. He then spent three years in the Army Emergency Reserve, stationed at Barford Camp, at Barnard Castle in County Durham, where he developed training schemes for the officers.
At Aden Mount Care Home, resident Rodney Coates, 78, is among the veterans, having joined the 1st Battalion of the Duke of Wellington’s Yorkshire regiment at 17.
Michelle Hosley, manager at Aden Mount Care Home, said:
“We are so proud to become part of the VFF. Working through the program has given us a much greater understanding of the person centred care that people who have served require and thereby make such a difference for our current and future residents.
“It has been a privilege getting find out more about our residents’ war time experiences, such as Rodney’s long career in the Army. They deserve so much respect for what they did for us.”
Michaela Elwell, activities coordinator at Aden Mount Care Home, said:
“Talking with Rodney is so heart-warming. He is an amazing gentleman who I feel brings light and laughter everywhere he goes and we at Aden Mount are very lucky to have him.”
Kimberley McKay, home manager at Aden View Care Home, said:
“I feel honoured to help introduce the Veteran Friendly Framework to our home. We already celebrate the veterans in our care at Aden View but the VFF programme gives us even more opportunities to ensure that their status is shared with our partners and they receive as much support as possible.
“We believe in sharing peoples’ stories and experiences, so we have recently dedicated a special area in the care home to promote veterans. Since creating this space, we’ve had our residents, families and friends share many more stories with us.”
