This statement outlines our Aims, Objectives and Philosophy of Care. Should any question arise from the statement, the management team will be happy to discuss any points or concerns.

The rights of our Residents are our primary concern and so our philosophy of Care reflects this in the services and environment we provide and in our encouragement of the Residents to exercise their rights to the full.

Aims and Objectives

Our aim is to provide high quality Care to meet the specific needs and wishes of our Residents.

We aim to offer and provide high quality Care with sensitivity and understanding in a warm, happy and comfortable environment.

A Care plan will be formulated individually to support each Resident's needs allowing independence and privacy and upholding their dignity in the following ways: ­

Privacy

Helping our Service Users with intimate needs and situations discreetly

Allowing and helping Residents to furnish and equip their rooms to their own wishes and enabling them to use them at their own choice for meals, leisure and entertaining.

Offering Residents the choice of where and with whom they spend time.

Giving privacy to receive and make telephone calls if they wish, to open and read mail and see visitors and advisors.

Ensuring information regarding each Resident remains confidential.

 

Dignity

Disabilities can undermine dignity - to avoid this, each Resident will be treated as a valued individual by assisting them to maintain as close a lifestyle of their own as possible. This is achieved by ensuring they have their own clothing and that their personal appearance is as they wish. Also, in offering a range of activities enabling Residents to express themselves as an individual, we try to eliminate any discrimination that may occur through physical or mental disability.

Independence

We understand that our Residents have given up a great deal of their independence when they become part of a communal group residing in a Care Home. We therefore encourage clients to continue to use every opportunity to think and act for themselves by providing personal and technical assistance in a tactful way maximizing each Resident's ability for self Care, interaction with others and continuing normal daily living activities unaided.

Assisting Residents to take reasonable and informed risks.  

Encouraging and promoting contacts with activities and interests outside the Home encouraging Residents to be involved with and contribute to their Care and its recording. Therefore encourage clients to continue to use every opportunity to think and act for themselves by providing personal and technical assistance in a tactful way.

Facilities

The Home is friendly and comfortable and aims to provide a safe Homely environment. We have a range of equipment of assist with all aspect of daily living including adjustable beds where necessary, pressure relieving mattresses when required, bath rails, bed rails and Four stair lifts. All rooms are furnished but Residents are welcome of bring in any of their own pieces or pictures that they wish. The Home is not suitable for total wheelchair dependent Service Users.

As to assist our Service Users with Dementia we have alleviated steps where possible from the internal structure of the building.

We also have assisted Bathing facilities for our Residents who are particularly frail or mentally impaired and need assistance bathing.

A professional cook does our catering with individual dietary needs being dealt with.

We have an in house laundry system but ask that all items of personal clothing are marked with the Residents name and that anything requiring special laundry Care is dealt with by relatives and that the staff are made aware of these.

Service Providers

Mr. and Mrs. Kitchen are the owners of the Home and service providers. They are on site at The Laurels on a day to day basis.

The Registered Manager is Mrs Heidi Lambert.

Mrs. Price has many years experience in the Care Home sector and is, at present, in the process of completing her NVQ 4 in Care. She has a team of 13 staff covering day and night duties at the Home, ensuring continuity of Care. The staff include Health Care Assistants, 1 full time cook, 1 part time cook, 1 cleaner, 2 handymen and 1 gardener.

All staff hold Basic Food Hygiene Certificates and undergo annual training in Fire Safety, First Aid, Abuse prevention, Dementia awareness and Client Handling. We are presently undertaking a Dementia mapping course to all staff.

The staff have a wide range of experience of cover the needs of the Residents and offer high quality Care of all.

Residents

The Home is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following the introduction of the Care Standards Act in April 2000 and we specialize in the Care of elderly people especially those diagnosed with Dementia. We can accommodate Residents in the OP (Elderly) & DE(E) (Dementia over 65 years of age) Service User Categories. The Home can accommodate 20 persons at any one time. The Home’s long term aim is to accommodate purely Service Users within the Dementia - DE(E) category.

All Residents are assessed prior to admission to ensure that as far as is possible we can meet all the individual needs and requirements to guarantee a comfortable and happy stay with us. This will be confirmed in writing prior to admission to the Home in a letter from Mrs. Price or Mr. Kitchen, who will confirm that the room is available and that Care can be offered. Unless of course, there are unforeseen changes in the Residents condition or expectations on arrival at the Home.

We are not a Nursing or Secure unit facility, therefore we can not administer Nursing Care and we have an open door policy.  

We can not accommodate Service users with or who develop challenging behavior or who have an aggressive nature to others.

Please note due to our “open door philosophy” and the physical location on the Home, we can not accommodate Service Users who have a tendency to “wander externally to the boundaries Home” as this would pose a risk to the Service User.

Moving On

Most people will have chosen the Laurels to be their Home for life. However, should a Resident wish to live elsewhere i.e. to be closer to their family or we can not meet their Care needs. We will support your decision and assist you if you in finding an alternative and suitable Home should you wish. We will welcome you to keep up existing friendships within the Home and make sure your moving is non stressful and that your Care plan and personal records are transferred securely and efficiently to you new Home.

Activities

We try to provide stimulating activities and entertainment for any Resident who wishes to participate. We have various games and indoor activities. Extend classes with a qualified teacher fortnightly and monthly entertainment. Family and friends are welcome to participate when they are visiting and if Residents have their own hobbies and interests that they wish to continue this is also encouraged and assisted. To stimulate Residents with Dementia we have a dedicated art and activity session once a week. All activities are advised by a visiting Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN) who services are employed by the Laurels. 

The Home has the benefit of two lounges. Either may be recommended to a Resident for their choice depending on how frail they are both physically and mentally. The back lounge is more suited to Residents with mild or medium diagnosed dementia.

Health and Personal Care

We try to ensure that the Resident's privacy and dignity is preserved during the delivery of health and personal Care.

We refer to appropriate professionals to meet the health needs of each Resident. We produce with each Resident a plan of Care based on the initial assessment and which is then by continuing assessment, updated monthly.

Daily Operation of the Home

There is a basic daily structure around which the Home is run but with flexibility provided to meet the individual's needs. We regularly talk to the Residents, relatives and staff to hear their views to assess the quality of service we offer and learn whether they are satisfied or if they have any ideas for change or improvement that may be of benefit to all.

Religious Needs

 We have a monthly visit from The Vicar of St. George's Church who gives communion and conducts a short service for those who wish to participate. We have Residents who attend weekly meetings at Twyneham Chapel. All other denominations are catered for as the need arises.

Visiting

We hope Residents and their families will treat the Home as their own and so we have an open visiting policy. All visitors are welcome and we will try to ensure that privacy is available if required. We do ask that visitors bear in mind that certain times of the day are busy and they can therefore plan their visits accordingly.

Fire Precautions

The Home has a written policy in the event of a fire. It has an audible fire alarm system. Emergency lighting, smoke and heat detectors and some automatically closing doors, the remainder being kept closed at all times. The system is serviced and maintained as per the statutory requirements and staff undergo regular training and updates sessions to ensure everyone's safety. In the event of a fire, all Residents and visitors should follow the instruction of the senior Carer on duty.

Complaints

If the Resident has a complaint, it should in the first instance, be taken up with the Provider (Mr & Mrs KITCHEN). In any event, the Resident may complain to:

                 CQC (Care Quality Commission)
CQC South East
Citygate
Gallowgate
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4PA
Email: enquiries.southeast@cqc.org.uk

Telephone no: 03000 616161

If the Resident is dissatisfied by the response from the CQC, they can complain to the Parliamentary Ombudsman. The Parliamentary Ombudsman will only deal with complaints that have been referred to him by an MP.

Care Plans

The Care provided is based on a thorough assessment of a wide range of needs and a systemic and continuous plan of Care for each Resident.

 Residents with Dementia are re-assessed every month to monitor their condition and Care needs.

Environment

The physical environment is designed for the Resident's convenience and comfort which includes

maintaining buildings and grounds in a safe condition.

Ensuring communal areas are safe and comfortable. Toilet, washing and bathing facilities are suitable for the Residents in our Care, specialist equipment being available to maximize and maintain Residents independence.

The Home has door activation buzzers on all external doors as to notify the Care Staff if a door is opened. It should be noted that this is not to prevent Service Users from going outside or venturing out of the Home. But to alert staff, that a Service User with Dementia may be about to leave the building, of which, they may need assistance.

Once again to as to comply with safety requirements, for Service users with dementia or who are particularly frail in health, we have radiator guards throughout the Home, all hot pipe work surfaces are protected as well to prevent contact burns.

We also have anti scalding thermostatic valves on all Baths and basins so that the Hot water can not be dispensed above 43 Deg C in temperature within the Home.

Provision of accommodation that meets the national minimum Care standards act is achieved throughout and is a prime directive.

Ensuring Residents have safe and comfortable bedrooms with their own personal property around them.

Ensuring the premises are kept clean and hygienic and free from odours with suitable systems in place to control the spread of infection.

Residents rooms within the Home consist of four double rooms and twelve single rooms, all of which meet the size requirements laid down by the Care Standards Commission regarding an existing Care Home.

The Home has a paved garden area at the rear of the building which is bordered by walled shrub area. This area is secured for Residents safety by a boundary fence. The fence gate leading to the car park has a key coded security lock mounted upon it, of which, the code is only available to staff of the Home.

Choice of Home

 The choice of a Care Home for you or your loved one is always a difficult decision. We hope to provide as much information as possible to aid that decision in an easy format and as required by the Care Standards Act 2000. To make the right choice it is advisable to visit several Homes and talk to the proprietors or managers. This way all your questions will be answered and you will think of all the things you may wish to enquire about.

Management and Administration

 The leadership of the Home is crucial in all its operations. In providing the quality of leadership deemed necessary to meet the requirements of this establishment we undertake to employ a Registered manager who is qualified, competent and experienced to carry out the task.

To use a managerial approach that creates an open, inclusive and positive atmosphere.

To supervise all staff and volunteers, regularly and Carefully.

To keep records on all aspects of the Home and its Residents both accurately and up to date.

To ensure Residents and staff health, safety and welfare is promoted and protected at all times. 

All staff are trained in the caring of elderly and persons with dementia. Training is continuous and is recorded accordingly on staff files. 

Mr. & Mrs. Kitchen have worked within Homes Caring for service Users with Dementia since 1999.

Advocacy

 Should any Resident be without personal representation then advice can be sought through Mr. and Mrs. Kitchen or Mrs. Price to contact an external advocacy service to provide that person with impartial representation should they wish to do so.

Inspection Reports

The Home is inspected twice yearly by an inspector appointed by CQC. One is an announced inspection and there is a notice posted about this in advance, enabling anyone who wishes to attend the Home at the time and speak to the inspector. The outcome of the inspection is available in the Home for anyone who wishes to read the report and can be found in the office. Mr. and Mrs. Kitchen or Mrs. Price will be very happy to discuss or explain any of the points in it at any time. 

In conclusion we hope that everything in the Home is driven by the needs, abilities and aspirations of the

Residents rather than by staff and management desires. Whilst this is not always easy to achieve we will endeavor to maintain this as the focus of our policies, services, activities, resources and facilities.

This document will be under review annually. Any comments regarding it will be welcome.