Daily Life and Visiting

Information for families, friends and visitors

We want the move into our home to be as smooth as possible so that residents can quickly feel happy and at home. While each of our homes has its own character, all of them combine great care with a ‘family’ atmosphere based on kindness and respect for everyone.

 You can recognise our team and what they do by their uniforms.

Visiting

Family and friends are welcome to visit at any time. However we ask you to be mindful that this is our resident’s home so please be respectful when you visit at mealtimes or in the evenings. Relatives, friends and other visitors are encouraged to spend quality time at the home and engage in day to day activities.

Visitors can join residents for meals if they are visiting for extended periods of time. We can arrange this in an area of the home where you can enjoy a private meal.

All visitors are required to sign in and out using the visitors’ book in reception.

Moving into a care home is not always the easiest thing to come to terms with, however less visiting in the first few weeks, can be extremely helpful in supporting your loved one to settle in. It can help the resident to make friends and get familiar with life in our home.

We know this can be challenging for you, so please do speak to the team when you visit or before to get a feel for the best visiting frequency.  Our team wear name badges and we’ve got a handy guide to our team roles and uniforms below if you would like to know who does what.

We are always here to help you.

Health Professional Visits

Residents already registered with a local GP and other professionals,  can stay with them with them once you’ve moved in if they wish. If the resident is from outside the area, we will help them to find, choose and register with a local practice. Doctors will usually visit the home either regularly or on request.

As part of your care planning, we regularly work with you alongside local health professionals and multi-disciplinary teams, including the SALT team, District Nurses in Residential homes (or Community Nurses), Chiropodists and many others.

Day to day information to help you get to know your care home and help residents settle in straight away:

Personalising your room

We want your loved one to feel happy and feel comfortable in their new home. The room can be personalised by bringing in some personal possessions such as photographs. However please ensure that any items you bring into the home are safe, fit for purpose and are not a fire hazard.

Laundry

A personal laundry service is available daily (in most of our homes we provide laundry services on the premises) by our dedicated Laundry Assistants and this is included as part of the home’s Weekly Fee. Please make sure all clothes are machine washable, suitable for the tumble dryer and labelled with the resident’s name. For clothes that need dry cleaning please let a member of the team know as alternative arrangements will need to be made. This service will be charged at cost.

Hairdressing

Hairdressing services are available to all residents. Please ask a member of the team for the price of these services. If residents wish to use their own hairdresser, they are welcome to visit the home or the resident can continue to visit their salon.

Post

Resident’s post will be passed to them on the day it arrives. At the request of the resident, our team can help you open, read and reply to post. Any mail for posting can be sealed and handed to the Home Administrator to be posted that same day.

Religious Services and Worship

Representatives from local places of worship representing all faiths visit regularly for special services and communion. For any residents who wish to visit the local place of worship for their faith we can provide them with service timetables. If there are any specific requirements a member of the team will be happy to assist.

Medication

Our care teams are fully trained in the safe administration of medication. There are robust policies and procedures in place, in accordance with legislation, to support the safe administration, storage and disposal of medication. In the vast majority of cases, residents’ medication is ordered, stored and administered by the care home team. It is therefore essential that relatives and visitors do not give residents additional medication items, or leave such items in residents’ rooms. All medication brought into the care home should be handed to the senior person on duty. If you’d like any additional information about the medication you have been prescribed, self-administration and the risks associated with it please ask the Home Manager. Our internal and external auditors carry out
complete quality audits on a regular basis.

Personal monies

Whilst we cannot accept responsibility for residents’ personal finances, generally in some circumstances and if requested we are able to hold small amounts of personal monies on behalf of residents to meet their immediate needs. Please keep the amount you ask us to look after to a minimum, preferably less than £100, but it can be regularly topped up as required. These monies are kept secure in one bank account for all residents in the home with separate records for each resident recording the amount held on their behalf, and details of deposits and withdrawals made. The bank account is a non-interest bearing account, so no interest is earned on any monies you ask us to look after.

We also try to provide easy and flexible access to your monies. However, we are unable to subsidise expenditure from monies held if you have insufficient money within the account. You are responsible for keeping track of what you have spent and the money you have available for additional purchases. All expenditure must be authorised by the resident or where applicable the residents representative before payment will be made.

You will probably have other questions as time goes by. We’re here to help, so please ask a member of our friendly team if you need further information or advice.