The first-ever unit dedicated to patients with conditions associated with ageing has opened.

The Clinical Ageing Research Unit (CARU) aims to offer help to people like 61-year-old Andrew Gilmore who six years ago was virtually bed-ridden. He says he has been able to rebuild his life and run his own company thanks to the specialist help he's received from his medical team and experts at Newcastle University.

Mr Gilmore from Gosforth in Newcastle was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 1990. Ongoing treatment by medical teams at Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust combined with specialist treatment at Newcastle University’s Institute of Ageing and Health has meant that he is now able to live life to the full.

Andrew has been taking part in clinical trials run through CARU. He said: 'The difference in my life since getting this treatment has been tremendous. I am able to run my business, enjoy a good quality of life and I can walk again after having to spend much of my time in bed. I can’t praise the staff who help me enough.'

The new £5.5m clinical facility officially opened its doors on Tuesday, 9th December when one of the building’s funders Dr Mark Walport, director of the Wellcome Trust, marked the occasion by unveiling a plaque. The University’s Clinical Ageing Research Unit is the first dedicated to patients like Andrew with conditions associated with ageing including Parkinson’s, Alzheimers and other forms of dementia.

CARU, which has also been funded by the Wolfson Foundation, has a wide range of facilities to help assess older patients. One example is the ‘gait’ laboratory where patients can be wired to monitors and recorded walking around to identify any problems with their movement. Researchers and consultants can also gain accurate information on exactly which part of their feet are touching the floor and how long each stride is from a pressure-point carpet. This is important as it helps work out who may be at a higher risk of falling and to see if treatments aimed at improving balance are working.

The director of CARU, Professor David Burn said: “This unit aims to help us diagnose diseases earlier on – particularly those in older people. This will mean we can potentially start treatments earlier when they can make a bigger difference to the person and their families. CARU has state-of-the-art equipment particularly designed for elderly people and this is going to allow us to carry out some very exciting trials.”

Newcastle is a science city and its chief executive, Peter Arnold said: “The Institute of Ageing and Health is an important part of Newcastle Science City’s work and leads Europe in its research field. This new unit will play an important part in helping it stay at the forefront of treatment and diagnosis of conditions in elderly people, in particular those with dementia.”

CARU facilities also include a visual perception lab to help patients retain their independence. There are over 20 studies about to start or already underway in the unit. One of the major studies is looking at identifying predictors of dementia in Parkinson’s disease known as ICICLE PD. The five year study has been funded by the Parkinson’s Disease Society.