By Graham Sturgeon, staff writer
CELEBRATING – The Lodges of Durand held an open house and ribbon-cutting for their new 24,000-square-foot memory care facility on July 23, which was orchestrated with the help of Shiawassee Regional Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors.
Gathered with chamber ambassadors were Durand Mayor Deb Doyle, co-owners Dean Solden and Robert Cohen, Admissions and Marketing Director Brooke Roberts, Executive Director Lisa Matznick and Vibrant Life Marketing Associate Kathy Coats. The facility opened on May 19 and has created more than 40 jobs. (Independent Photo/GRAHAM STURGEON)
The Lodges of Durand celebrated the recent opening of their new memory care facility on Thursday, July 23, with an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony. The 24,000-square-foot building opened May 19. It is on W. Monroe Road in the building that used to house the Monroe Manor Apartments.
The building was constructed in 1986, but co-owners Dean Solden and Robert Cohen have renovated the building entirely. They added a dining room and the unit now has the ability to house up to 40 residents. The facility offers one or two-bedroom apartments, as well as studio apartments.
The Shiawassee Regional Chamber of Commerce provided the ribbon, the Lodges provided the colorful spread for the accompanying open house, and Mayor Deb Doyle was on hand to express her appreciation of the company’s investment to the community.
“It is awesome when someone makes an investment in Durand,” Mayor Doyle said during the photo-op. “But when someone expands an existing business, we’re honored and proud. It’s a vote of confidence in our community.”
The Lodges of Durand operate under their parent company, Vibrant Life Communities (VLC), which has four other campuses across Michigan. VLC is the management arm of Solden Developments that has been operating elderly communities in the state for over 20 years. Cohen and Solden credited their staff with the success of the Lodges, but they also acknowledged that the company’s unique approach to memory care is what sets them apart from the competition.
“Quality of life is just as important as quality of care,” Solden said. “The thing that distinguishes our memory community from many others, which put all their residents together, is our early, mid- and late-stage treatment plans. We tailor activities and staffing to our residents’ levels.”
