The Lodge - a pioneering new care facility in Chorley for people with dementia - opens its doors for the first time on the weekend of May 17 and 18 when two public open days will be held.
Part of the £45 million Buckshaw Retirement Village, The Lodge will provide next-generation care for people with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. It is set to become the most advanced facility of its type in Europe.
Lorraine Haining, Head of Dementia Services at The Lodge, said: "We are really proud of what we have achieved at The Lodge and we are looking forward to showing members of the public the facilities we have created."
"Anyone who has a relative or friend with dementia, or people just wanting to know more about this illness, will have the opportunity to look around The Lodge and talk to our staff," she added.
Lorraine said The Lodge will offer people with dementia and their carers a real alternative to traditional care homes when they feel they can no longer live in their current accommodation.
"Caring for a relative with dementia can often reach the point where it becomes virtually a 24 hour commitment, seven days a week. Leaving the house for a short time becomes a real problem for the carer. At the same time, people with dementia often find themselves in a world which they constantly struggle to understand and the carer is very often given little or no education or training in understanding and managing the difficulties they can face.
"Our care team at The Lodge understand these problems and are here to provide support to the relatives as well as care for people with dementia. Every aspect of The Lodge is designed to make life easier for people with dementia and to enable them to lead as independent a life as possible. As each resident has their own apartment it means that couples are able to remain together rather than separating at this crucial stage in their lives."
At the heart of The Lodge is an innovative Market Square that has been created to stimulate the senses and give residents a sense of independence. There's a tea shop, village pub, potting shed, corner shop, bakery, hair and beauty salon, cinema and pet store.
Visual cues have been incorporated in the design of The Lodge to make life much easier for residents.
"We have incorporated glazing in the kitchen cupboard doors and on the fridges so that residents can immediately see what is inside. Interior designs are neutral - if we had a floral pattern, for example, this could cause confusion because residents might associate it with being in a garden. For similar reasons, all taps are crossheads so that they look exactly like a tap, and bathroom fittings are designed to contrast with the tiling so that they are easily seen and understood. There are dozens of examples like this which, when all added together, make a tremendous difference to people's lives.
> The public open days will be between 10 am and 4 pm on Saturday May 17 and Sunday May 18.