MORE than £500,000 is being spent transforming one of Bolton's old people's homes into a community care centre.

The development at Lillian Hamer House, Deane Road, is due to open at the end of the year.

The ambitious project is aimed at catering for the needs of elderly people in the Deane, Derby and Daubhill areas.

There will be 19 residential beds, a respite care unit, day care services and there will be support and advice for elderly people and their carers as well as a "drop in" facility.

The centre will have services for members of the Asian Community, with special arrangements for food preparation and meals.

A wing of the centre will provide day care for frail and elderly people from the Asian community.

Cllr Ken Peters, chairman of Bolton's social services committee, said: "We want to keep our services flexible and tailor-made to suit the needs of every individual.

"We are striving to be sensitive, responsive and caring.

"We hope that voluntary and charitable organisations will have strong links with the centre and that will be a hub of community care - with direct links to other services, including community care."

It will be social services' second community care centre - the first at Thicketford Road opened 18 months ago.

Cllr Peters added: "The whole aim of community care centres is to help people live happy and comfortable lives, whether in residential care or their own homes."

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