Archived: Inglewood

People told us, 'I really like being here, the staff are so kind.' 'I knew this home had a good reputation before I came and that's been proved right.' 'The food is very good with lots of choices, all homemade.'

The home had created a friendly, lively and welcoming atmosphere. People told us of numerous activities they could take part in, such as computer clubs, baking, knitting, handicrafts as well as group outings. Residents were encouraged to help produce a newsletter for the home. The close links developed with the local community meant that there was a constant stream of visitors coming and going, and people living in the home were actively supported to maintain these links. One person told us, 'I pop out for a walk most days.'

The manager implemented the organisation's quality monitoring systems that ensured the standards of care, the safety and maintenance of the home. We found that accurate record keeping ensured that people were protected from the risks of unsafe or inappropriate care and treatment. One person commented to us, 'You can tell that the staff take a real pride in making it look nice for us."

People living there told us they could chose how to spend their time. One person saying, 'There's something happening everyday, we have a computer club, arts and crafts, and we recently went out to a garden centre. I'm looking forward to going to a new supermarket that opened recently.'

People were engaged in their surroundings and alert, frequently having conversation with each other and with staff. They told us they had been involved in making decisions about all aspects of their care and said they were well supported. One person said, 'The staff are second to none, they know what needs doing before you ask.' And another said, 'They (care staff) are careful not to take over, they let you do things and that makes me feel better about myself.'

We found the service to be appropriately staffed for the needs of the people living in the home. The staff team were experienced and well trained with specialist skills in caring for people with dementia.