The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated Dove Court Care Home in Seaton, Devon, as Outstanding following an inspection in March 2019.
Inspectors rated the service as Outstanding for being caring, well-led and responsive to people’s needs and Good for being safe and effective.
Dove Court Care Home provides accommodation and personal care for adults over 65 years old. Dove Court Care Home can accommodate up to 32 people.
A full report of the inspection has been published here: www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-117320606
Amanda Stride, Head of Inspection, Adult Social Care (South West), said:
“Dove Court Care Home provided person-centred support. People felt listened to and were engaged with throughout all aspects of care.
“The service placed a strong focus on wellbeing and encouraged people to socialise and pursue their interests in inspiring and innovative ways. I would like to congratulate the service on attaining the rating of Outstanding."
The report highlights several areas of outstanding practice, including:
People were cared for by kind and compassionate staff. Relatives and people praised the staff and considered them as part of their family. People were involved in their care planning and were supported to express their preferences and wishes. Staff regularly reviewed care plans and let people and their families know if they identified a change in needs.
People were supported to live a meaningful life. Staff encouraged people to socialise, pursue their interests and hobbies. For example, the activities programme offered a wide range of events for people to enjoy, including swimming, baking, crafting or being a part of local tea and talk groups. Another person was supported to work in a local shop by a staff member. This gave them a sense of purpose and formed part of their rehabilitation enabling them to return home.
The registered manager had introduced a variety of initiatives to encourage people to eat and drink. These included themed months, where people could try different foods and listen to music. The themed months helped increase people’s social interactions.
The service took innovative steps to meet people’s information and communication needs. People’s needs were recorded in care plans and shared appropriately with staff. People could request their care records in large print. A member of staff told us how they let one person feel their face, because the person could not see them. This made the person happy because they could picture the member of staff.
A dementia ambassador supported people’s relatives with dementia awareness training. This improved their understanding of dementia and how best they could support their loved ones. Another member of staff had the role of ambassador for people’s hydration. Staff encouraged people to try a variety of drinks which resulted in a reduction in urinary tract infections by 75%. This also reduced the number of falls people experienced.
The manager led by example, valued their staff and understood the importance of their professional development. Staff received training and support and had the skills and knowledge to support people well. Staff also knew how to keep people safe from both the risk of abuse and assessed risks.
Ends
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