"The apartments are gorgeous - and the Somerville family are always there for you"

Barbara and Brian, aged 79 and 83, moved into Somerville in January.

The grandparents left their bungalow on the other side of Leicester after a friend told them about the exciting independent living development.

Previously having lived in New Zealand and on the south coast of England, the couple had high standards for the quality of lifestyle they knew they wanted.

They were immediately impressed when they visited Somerville.

And they are positive they have made the right decision by moving in..

Brian, a retired engineer who worked at Taylor Hobson, suffers from Alzheimer’s and Barbara, who worked as a hairdresser, wanted reassurance help is at hand if they needed it.

Barbara said: “My husband got Alzheimer’s and I felt I needed to have someone I could turn to, night and day.

“He isn’t ready for a care home. Somerville is a good bridge between that and our bungalow.

“The Somerville family are always there for you.

“There are so many activities going on. There’s no need to feel isolated - you can join in, if you want, or stay in our apartment if you prefer.

“They put on a great BBQ recently and we marked Valentine's Day and had a birthday party when one of the residents turned 90.

“It’s been lovely to walk around the gardens in the summer, and see our son and grandchildren who came to visit when the lockdown restrictions were eased.

“We would’ve definitely felt isolated if we had still been in the bungalow.

“Two of the residents here have lost their partners, so it’s great that they have company.

“Our warden is great. She really knows how to speak to Brian. It’s been a big step for him to move into Somerville, but the staff have helped him to settle in really well.

“The restaurant is fabulous. We enjoy treating ourselves to a lovely meal there now and again.

“Moving to Somerville is the best decision we’ve made.”