The Star & Garter Club, a new day care service for veterans, is helping to tackle loneliness in the Solihull area. The service is provided by The Royal Star & Garter Homes, a charity which provides specialist residential care to veterans and their partners living with disability or dementia.

Norma is a guest who has been attending since the service started. She commented, “It’s fantastic here. Where I live I don’t get to talk to many people, so it really makes a difference coming here and having lots of people to chat with. My family are very happy knowing that I’m mixing with people.”

Joy is another guest who finds the service a great way of getting to know others. She explained, “Good conversation is so important, for everyone. It doesn’t matter how old you are, you always need to have someone to engage with and share moments. The Star & Garter Club hasn’t disappointed – everyone I’ve met is so friendly. I’ve chatted to club guests, residents and staff and everyone is so warm and welcoming. It’s lovely.”

The service enables guests to share their day with fellow veterans and partners, supported by friendly staff. Guests can choose to join in with a varied programme of activities and entertainment in a warm, homely environment. A hot three-course lunch is provided in the comfortable dining room and refreshments are available. Complimentary well-being health checks are provided and there is the option to engage in a physiotherapy programme with the in-house team. The service includes door-to-door transport for guests.

Following on from the success of the service for veterans living with disability, the Charity has now extended the day care service to people living with dementia. The Charity’s Director of Care, Pauline Shaw, explains, “The Royal Star & Garter Homes aspires to enhance the standard of care for veterans, so we are delighted to introduce our new day care service for people living with dementia. The service will enable more veterans and their partners to access the wide range of benefits and therapies available and will offer all-important companionship in our comfortable and welcoming Home.”

This day care service is supported with a grant from the Aged Veterans’ Fund funded by the Chancellor using LIBOR funds.