11 May 2012
During a routine inspection
Some people using the service were able to tell us about their experiences and we also spoke with a visitor to the service. The visitor told us they were very pleased with the care their relative received and that they felt they were appropriately supported by staff. They said that staffs always 'do the best they can' and that they always saw staff around when they visited.
One person who used the service spoke positively about the care they received from staff. They said that staff understood them well and supported their ongoing mental health needs.
The service provided care for some people who had a dementia related illness. When we walked around the home we saw that there were items on display to encourage reminiscence. This meant that consideration had been given to provide an environment that supported their needs.
During our observations throughout the day we saw that people who used the service appeared comfortable and relaxed in their home. We saw staff supporting and spending time with people in meaningful engagement. When we spoke with staff we found that they had a good understanding of the people they cared for and knew the specific likes and dislikes people had.
Staff respected people's privacy and dignity and we saw people moving about the home making choices about where and how they wanted to spend their time.
The home had two activities coordinators and we saw a schedule of the week's planned activities on display around the home. People's interest or hobbies had been recorded as part of their initial assessment when they were admitted to the home.
The manager told us that the coordinators vary their hours to suit the needs of people and where necessary this included weekend cover. Activities included external entertainers, taking people to appointments and shopping trips. On the day of our visit we saw staff offering people the opportunity to join in with board games if they wished. Plans were also being made for forthcoming celebrations for the Queen's jubilee.
We saw that people's dietary preferences had been taken into account and staff respected these. This meant that people were able to make decisions about their nutritional intake
Where possible people who used the service or their representatives had been involved in planning their care and had agreed the content of their written care plan. Some records we saw recorded people had expressed a wish not to do something and this had been respected by staff.
People who used the service had access to two communal lounges, a dining room and conservatory which was used as a designated smoking room.
We looked at a number of bedrooms and spent time in the communal areas of the home. People's rooms were personalised and we could see that they had been able to bring in personal items including items of furniture of their choosing. One person who used the service told us that they liked their room and had had it decorated and furnished to suit their taste
We found that some bedroom furniture and equipment in the home was in poor condition and showing signs of wear and tear. This meant that it would make it difficult to clean effectively.
We spoke with two people who used the service about the cleanliness of the home. They told us that they were satisfied with the cleanliness of the environment and told us about the recent programme of redecoration that had taken place. We also spoke with one visitor during the day and they said that in their opinion the home and their relatives' bedroom always appeared clean when they visited.
People who used the service and the visitor we spoke with during our visit told us that if they had any concerns they were are able to raise them directly with the registered manager or staff on duty and they felt these were dealt with appropriately.