ECL Chelmsford - Highfields Day Centre

At ECL, we recognise the importance of keeping our customers connected to the communities they live in. Highfields Day Centre is just over two miles from the centre of Chelmsford and is easily reached by bus, so we’ll often accompany our customers into town. We also have a range of local shops and amenities within walking distance of the front door.

Chelmsford Museum is across the road, home to a tearoom and lovely gardens perfect for taking an afternoon stroll, while Hyland’s Park with its grand stately house and sprawling grounds are around a mile and a half away.

Getting to us couldn’t be easier. Highfields has excellent transport links, with a direct bus route serving Chelmsford town centre and the surrounding areas passing right in front of the day centre. We’re also supported by the UGO community bus service and have our own ECL car for picking up and dropping off customers as required.

Like our sister site Charles Dickens, ECL Chelmsford – Highfields is fully wheelchair accessible, and moving around the facilities is simple with the help of a Sara Stedy transfer aid and ceiling hoist for safe use of the bathroom.

We can adapt our staff ratios depending on the needs of the customer and are also able to assist adults with medication, enteral feeding, and speech and language therapy (SALT) plans. All staff have completed dementia, life support, mental health, and communication training and there is a positive behaviour specialist on hand who can provide support for people who demonstrate behaviours that challenge.

Our spacious and welcoming facilities at Highfields Day Centre have been designed to cater to the diverse needs and interests of our customers, who include adults with dementia, Parkinson’s, and other health conditions.

Each day, we serve a freshly cooked two course meal in the open dining room, encouraging interaction during mealtimes, and we often enjoy a fish and chip takeaway from nearby Writtle – a delicious treat!

The central space is always a hive of activity, with a large TV for watching customers’ favourite movies as well as iPads, laptops and a network of Alexa devices to use as they wish – whether that’s for browsing the internet or listening to music.

Outside, Highfields has a peaceful, secluded garden with quiet seating areas – perfect for taking some time out, while our well-appointed accessible bathrooms ensure comfortable personal care.

Our schedule of activities has been designed with all our customers in mind, whether that be an older person with limited mobility, someone living with dementia or Alzheimer’s, or an adult with other complex health needs.

We want to ensure that all our customers can participate in our day care programme, so invite their input when planning the week to make sure we’re offering a choice of activities that will entertain and enrich their days.

People joining us at the day centre can take part in a variety of Chair Fit classes, lively games of balloon tennis and other fun indoor sports, as well as music sessions and baking lessons.

We also have a range of options for those who prefer a slower pace, including memory games, quizzes, arts and craft projects, and white board crosswords.

In the garden, our customers are welcome to potter amongst the plants or lend the team a hand with the pruning and flower arranging.

If all this wasn’t enough, we also invite dementia therapy dogs into the centre. Customers always get the pups’ tails wagging, and the four-legged visitors are certainly a source of comfort and joy for them, too. These pet therapy sessions have been shown to be hugely beneficial in dementia care, improving wellbeing and sparking wonderful conversations about beloved pets past and present.

Our highly skilled specialists are dedicated to creating a warm, positive atmosphere at Highfields. They are experienced in supporting older people with sensory impairments, learning disabilities, dementia, and Alzheimer's but also understand that caregivers require support as well. That’s why our services cater to the needs of our customers and carers, recognising the importance of taking time out to reset and recharge.

Both the day centre and the schedule of activities we’ve curated have been carefully conceived to foster independence and improve the overall wellbeing of our customers.

You’ll find a hot two-course meal on offer every day, as well as tea, toast, and biscuits waiting on arrival in the lounge room because whether on or offsite, we want everyone to feel fed, fulfilled and happy during their time with us.