In the heart of Sandford, North Somerset, an exceptional retirement community is now being occupied. Built on the site of Sandford’s old railway station, this innovative sheltered housing facility incorporates many historic features and offers the very best in independent living and accommodation. Alongside this community, two new ground-breaking services offer both general needs nursing care and separate specialist dementia care.

Sandford Station is the fourth retirement development from award winning local charity, the St Monica Trust, a pioneer of high quality care, support and accommodation for older people for 85 years. Committed to creating an environment of enrichment and independence, Sandford Station is designed to deliver all the features that have made the St Monica Trust retirement accommodation so popular – a range of high quality properties, extensive amenities and the peace of mind that comes from dedicated, on-site support and care.

And just next door to the retirement flats and houses, 30 beds in Sherwood, which will open in June 2010 provide a purpose-built living environment designed to offer high quality support for people who need nursing care.

Separate from this, The Russets, made up of five individual houses, provides a very different type of care. The first of their kind in the UK, these houses, Ashmead, Bramley, Crispin, Discovery and Encore, combine innovative building design and a focussed support structure to offer a stress-free, enabling and fulfilling environment for people living with dementia. The houses have a specially designed secure garden and, although completely separate from the Sherwood wing and the rest of the village, there are links between residents from all parts of the village – particularly for couples who have different needs.

At Sandford Station, residents are able to live together on the same site, despite needing separate accommodation, allowing them to access the right support for their needs whilst remaining together in the same location.