Press reports.
Modern care for the elderly.

The Essen-based GSE society for social services is building the "Hospital zum Heiligen Geist II" at the Berliner Platz location in the city. 112 care places for the aged are planned. 20 apartments for the aged will also be built. At last there is activity on the wasteland at Berliner Platz. Between the former Rheinischen Strasse and Friedrich-Ebert Strasse, excavators have completed the preparatory work for the new construction of a retirement and nursing home for the Hospital zum Heiligen Geist foundation, under the patronage of the GSE society for social services. Yesterday, the ground-breaking ceremony was held for the Hospital II.

The plans for the nursing home, designed for 112 places, had been on file at the GSE for some years (as reported). However, the project could only be realized now after the mfi project for Berliner Platz gave way to the construction of the new Karstadt department store. The new building corresponds to the now legally valid construction scheme for the site.

According to GSE Manager, Günter Büsselberg, the first construction phase consists of a five-story building. Part of the first floor has been designed in the form of arcades according to the plans of architect Manfred Koschel. To the east, it is directly attached to the existing residential buildings. A park is planned to the north-west.

The equipment of the nursing home complies with the provisions of the Federal State's new care laws. On each story there will be 28 places consisting of 24 single bed rooms and two double bed rooms. All the rooms feature designated areas for parking wheelchairs. Bays adjoining the rooms provide additional seating areas.

The floors are designed so that they can be divided according to care groups. Each story features a care room and a specially equipped bathroom. There is also a multifunctional room for therapy, but also for parties. A prayer room with an adjacent washing room has been installed on the fourth story for Muslim occupants.

The cost of the nursing home is 9.7 million euros. During a second construction phase, 20 apartments for the aged will be built. The cost for this project is 3.6 million euros.

Source: WAZ, Essen