REFURBISHMENT to the Coombe End care home in Marlborough has reached its half way point.

The Orders of St John Care Trust (OSJCT), which runs 18 care homes throughout the county, has announced that the £240,000 refurbishment project at the care facility in Marlborough has reached its mid-point in development.

The renovation project at Coombe End began in November 2015 and was designed to refurbish and redecorate the 60-bed care home by improving the physical and social environment for people living with dementia.

Robin Khokhar, Wiltshire assistant operations director for OSJCT, said: “With over 850,000 people living with the condition throughout the UK, dementia is a growing issue being faced by many Wiltshire residents.

“As part of our Trust-wide strategy, we decided it was of the utmost importance to ensure that the facilities we offer people in the region are one of the highest quality, especially when it comes to dementia care and design. As a result we’ve pressed ahead with this refurbishment project for a home that, once complete, will allow us to provide a much higher quality of dementia care to families in the Marlborough area.”

As part of the project, a destination area will be built into the home, incorporating a café and bistro, cinema, corner shop and an informal seating area. The home’s existing hair salon will also be given an update as part of the refurbishment.

Additionally, the ground floor’s 20-bed household will undergo a major refurbishment to incorporate best practice dementia design, where possible, with the aim of enriching the area’s physical and social environment to enhance the quality of life for residents living with dementia.

Mr Khokhar added: “As a Trust, we strive to deliver care to the highest of standards while always being responsive and flexible when it comes to the services and facilities we offer. With dementia becoming more common with every year that passes, our priority is to provide people with the very best care and facilities so that those living with the condition maintain the highest possible quality of life.”