ECL Loughton Older People Day Centre

At ECL, we recognise the importance of keeping our customers connected to the communities they live in. That’s why we encourage integration by organising regular visits to nearby Debden High Street and the beautiful Epping Forest.

Getting out and about is a fantastic way to keep people connected to and engaged with the goings on in their neighbourhoods, but we also like to invite others into our day centre. We partner with Epping Dementia Action Alliance and have recently arranged visits from a local dementia-friendly primary school, during which the children encourage our customers to join them in a song and a game of nursery rhyme bingo.

Jessopp Court is at the heart of Loughton town centre, just minutes from Debden High Street and less than ten minutes from Debden underground station. Its central location makes travel to and from the day centre by public transport a breeze.

We are fully accessible, with wheelchair-friendly facilities and a trusty Sara Stedy transfer aid to make moving around the site even easier. We can adapt our staff support ratios to the needs of our customers and are also able to assist adults with medication. Our team has received specialist training in supporting customers with dementia, Parkinson’s, and dysphagia, as well as catheter care, communication awareness, and mental health first aid.

All the facilities at Jessopp Court are designed to cater to the diverse needs and interests of our customers, who include adults with dementia and older people with complex medical conditions.

The spacious main activity room features dementia-friendly low lighting and boasts an East End style pub bar to encourage reminiscence.

Customers can socialise over a hearty home-cooked lunch in our stylish dining room which features a cosy traditional fireplace. As a treat, we collect fish suppers from a local takeaway which always go down a storm.

Our main activity room is a hub of entertainment, with a large TV on which our customers can settle in to enjoy their favourite films and everyone has access to iPads that they can use to browse the internet or listen to music.

OMI, an interactive LED light is also available, flooding surfaces with colour to create a stunning kaleidoscope effect, known to increase participation and social engagement for those living with dementia.

Outside, our beautiful courtyard garden is the perfect space to sit back and relax with a cup of tea.

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 complex medical needs.

We want to ensure that all our customers can actively participate in our day care programme, which includes everything from chair dance and cookery classes to arts, crafts, quizzes, and jewellery making.

Our large aquarium is home to a rainbow-coloured array of tropical fish that customers love to tend to, and our dedicated doll therapy area provides an opportunity to nurture – an activity proven to encourage therapeutic engagement, increase happiness, and reduce episodes of distress.

Each day, the keen cooks among us join our chef to bake a delicious dessert like cheesecake, sponge cakes or fruit crumble for everyone to enjoy.

Some of the people we support at our day care service take comfort in routine and familiarity, so we’ll arrange for them to accompany our team as they complete their tasks. Customers can take trips to the supermarket and help set the table for meals, promoting independence and encouraging mobility through this model of active support.

The courtyard garden is another space where customers are actively supported to continue their passions, with the green-fingered getting involved with gardening. This area also features a ‘bus stop’, which can be settling for some.

Having recently completed Moving into Maturity training, our team is now able to make dance more accessible, including for those who prefer to stay seated.

Our highly skilled specialists are dedicated to creating a warm, positive atmosphere at Jessopp Court. 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 always find a hot two-course meal on offer, because whether on or offsite, we want everyone to feel fed, fulfilled and happy during their time with us.