A new luxury care home in Hornchurch will open its doors to residents in a week's time.
Signature at Hornchurch has confirmed it will officially welcome residents from June 22, with a grand opening celebration also planned for July 3.
The home will offer 90 apartments, including specialised units for dementia care, and is designed to provide both retirement living and assisted-living support.
An open day was held on Saturday (June 13) to give the community a first look at the facilities.
Visitors toured the building, experienced show suites, and enjoyed refreshments prepared by the home’s chef, who previously worked at The Ritz.
Signature at Hornchurch also recently hosted a dementia immersion event for healthcare professionals and community partners to improve understanding of the daily challenges faced by people living with dementia.
Sian Oakes, dementia care manager at Signature at Hornchurch, said: "We wanted to help people better understand dementia from the perspective of those living with it.
"Families, professionals, and members of the community often want to support someone with dementia but can find it difficult to understand the experiences of their loved one.
"By creating a fully immersive environment, participants gain valuable insight into some of the real challenges and emotions people face every day and leave with greater empathy, patience, and understanding."
Attendees included representatives from Saint Francis Hospice, the community urgent response nursing team from NHS North East London, and a security company in the area.
One attendee said: "This was an incredible event and I can't believe how much it moved me.
"I thought I understood dementia beforehand – I have a lot to take away from this event."
Signature at Hornchurch plans to hold additional dementia immersion sessions in the future.
The latest drone photos of the home show it near completion, with only a small sections of building materials left outside.
A chess board, pergola and outdoor seating can all be seen in the garden areas.
The home - built on the former car park of New City College's Ardleigh Green campus - applied to supply alcohol and show films in April.
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