Sonas, the independent living and retirement village at Cloghanboy, Athlone held an open day this week (March 12 ) to highlight its facilities.
The company was set up in 2006 and had its first resident in Athlone in 2007. It is aimed at elderly folk who want to live independently but still want all the facilities nearby.
At the Cloghanboy site, the most reassuring facility is the 24-hour nurse on call system. Also available is laundry, home shopping delivery and a range of services from the adjacent care centre including meals, physiotherapy, art, music, baking and a range of other organised events, including mass.
“It has been described as having a village feel,” said Mary Kennelly, the customer services officer.
“We're close to town, people feel like they're part of the community, not stuck out the country on some greenfield site,”
The Athlone site is one of three Sonas run in the country, with the other two in Enniscrone, Co Sligo and in Cloverhill, Co Roscommon.
Sonas runs as a business rather than a charity and prices run from €190 per week to €475.
There is 24-hour CCTV coverage and all residents have full freedom to come and go as they please without having to report their movements.
At the moment, the 16 unit village complex is half full.
