Situated one and a half miles from Stirling town centre, Broom Court is a small modern housing estate designed to provide integrated accommodation for people with physical disabilities. Opened in 1987, it includes homes adapted for wheelchair users and ambulant disabled people as well as mainstream housing and flats for the elderly. It is close to accessible local shops, health centres, a community centre and both primary and secondary schools. Stirling Roval Infirmary is less than a mile awav. Twentv -four hour care and support is provided within the Supported Accommodation Unit for severely disabled people aged between 18 and 65.

Supported Accommodation. In the Supported Accommodation Unit, each resident has his or her Accommodation own studio apartment. This comprises a bedsitting room with en-suite toilet and shower facilities. Each studio is a separate address to which mail and other deliveries are made. Residents can install their own telephones. Automatic door openers and other adaptations to suit individual needs can be provided.

The studios are grouped on different floor levels and are accessed by lifts. Each floor has six or seven studios sharing a comfortable and spacious lounge, kitchen, bathroom and wheelchair store. Meals are provided in the main restaurant or in the small sitting rooms of the studio apartments. Residents have their own small kitchens where they can cook for themselves and make tea, coffee and snacks. Where possible, staff are available to help as required. The main restaurant, kitchen, communal sitting room and laundrv are situated on the ground floor and can be used by both residents and tenants of the independent houses.

The Supported Accommodation Unit is designed and managed to allow residents privacy and choice within a secure and supportive environment. Staff work with residents to enable independent living and to help them to decide whether a move to a more independent lifestyle in their own home would be desirable.

Housekeeping. As well as cleaning all the communal areas within the Supported Accommodation Unit, the domestic staff help residents to clean their studios as required.

Respite Care. One fully furnished studio apartment in the Supported Accommodation Unit is used as a respite facility and for assessment purposes by people considering a permanent stay. Applications for the respite facility are welcomed from people throughout Scotland.

Caring for Residents. As well as having the security of 24-hour care from a professionally trained team on hand, the residents in Margaret Blackwood supported accommodation can depend on the familiar and friendly help that comes from our "keyworker" system. Residents each choose a member of staff with whom they can discuss their particular needs and this keyworker, in co-ordination with other staff, helps to support the residents work towards their individual goals. Residents and key workers also develop support plans which are detailed programmes of care and support specifically tailored to meet individual needs.

Personal Choice. Residents are encouraged to participate in the running of their accommodation. Regular meetings are held and new opinions and ideas are noted and acted upon.

Independent. Of the 49 houses at Broom Court, 12 are wheelchair standard and the others, all built to barrier-free standards, are suitable for people with limited mobility, who have sensory disabilities, are of advancing years or who do not have a disability. The wheelchair standard houses range in size from houses with one double bedroom, suitable for a couple or a single person, up to familv houses with three double bedrooms. The remaining houses range in size from those suitable for single people or couples up to a family of eight. Some of the houses have been adapted to suit the individual needs of their tenants.

Care Services. The 24-hour care service within the Supported Accommodation Unit also gives emergency cover to the tenants in the independent houses through a call system.

Home Care. Where someone with severe physical disabilities wishes to live in his or her own home, we are able to take our intensive care service beyond the confines of the Supported Accommodation Unit to the independent housing on the Broom Court estate or even into the wider community. The professionally qualified and dedicated teams can tailor care packages to meet the specific needs of the tenant or client. Support can be provided to a full 24-hour cover level.

Maintenance. A maintenance officer is available between 9am and 5pm on weekdays to carry out minor repairs and offer advice to both residents and tenants. At other times defects can be reported to the Duty Manager, who will arrange emergency repairs if required.

Transport . We have our own minibus suitable for people in wheelchairs and there is also a local Dial-a-journey service. Local taxi firms also have vehicles adapted to accommodate wheelchair users. There is a good local bus service and bus stops are close by.