A senior citizens' centre to be proud of

Pictured are, left to right, Catriona Blacker, Robert Howatt, Councillor Frank McAveety, Senga Murray (centre manager) and David Williams, chief officer for Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership.

Wallacewell Day Care Centre in Balornock has been built as part of a £100m Glasgow City Council plan to transform residential and day care services for the city’s older people.

The centre on Wallacewell Road - thought to have cost around £2.4million - will provide day care support for up to 30 vulnerable people every weekday.

Senior citizens using Wallacewell previously went to former council facilities Pinkston Day Care and Forge Street Day Care Centre.

The new facility has been purpose built to meet the increasingly complex needs of older people, and aims to help them live independently at home for as long as possible.

It is equipped with activity rooms, lounges, a treatment room, hairdressing salon, quiet room and dementia-friendly garden,

Councillor McAveety said: “Everyone who has played a part in opening Wallacewell Day Care Centre deserves the fullest praise.

“It is a bright and modern building and the design will help ensure the needs of service users can be meet here for many, many years to come.

“I am proud to say Wallacewell Day Care Centre has been opened by the council on behalf of our older citizens.”

At the opening ceremony service user Robert Howatt, and Catriona Blacker, whose father uses Wallacewell, were among those praising the new amenity.

Robert said: “This centre allows more room for activities and more facilities to care for service users with varying degrees of disabilities and to top it all, a beautiful, safe garden area.

“Glasgow City Council have exceeded themselves with this beautiful purpose built centre.

“All staff are very well trained and go the extra mile for service users, ensuring their safety and treating them with respect at all times.

Catriona Blacker said her father Jimmy McGlynn had previously gone to Pinkston Day Care and had been apprehensive about the change.

She said: “Every day since his first day, he has been totally chatty and animated.

“He and I are loving the way it makes him feel.

“It is amazing to see them relax in a comfortable environment having their best interests looked after so well.”