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THE HOME
St Vincents is a fine Victorian house which is constructed on three floors and set in its own gardens and grounds. Many features of the house’s history have been maintained, whilst necessary alterations have been made to enable it to operate as a care home.
St Vincents Retirement Home Ltd provides the regulated activity of ‘accommodation for persons who require personal care’ at the home's location. The service is registered as a service type that provides personal care and not nursing. The home provides this service to people of both sexes and can accommodate 25 residents whose needs fall within our registration. You first enter St Vincents through the large oak front door into the entrance hall which offers initial shelter to visitors and retains aspects of the original décor of the house.
There is a large reception hallway with an open fireplace, which on cold winter days is lit to offer a warm welcoming glow. A seating area is provided where residents regularly sit and chat.
A Resident’s Information Area is provided which contains a diverse assortment of information that ranges from planned activities to sources of advice. There is also a post box facility for resident’s use which is emptied Monday to Friday and taken to the local post office for posting.
The main lounge is situated on the ground floor and is tastefully decorated with an array of furniture, pictures, and ornaments.
One of the main features of this lounge is the bar facility which is operated by the staff for the residents. There is also a second lounge/activities room on the first floor. The lounges are equipped with a television, DVD player and a selection of DVD’s are available, as well as a music centre with a selection of compact discs. The first-floor lounge provides a selection of toys for the enjoyment of our younger visitors.
There is one assisted bathroom on the lower ground floor, one on the ground floor, and two on the first floor. All have a bathing facility, wash hand basin, and toilet. There are two WC’s on the ground floor and one on the first floor. The laundry room is on the lower ground floor. The first floor and lower ground floor are accessed by staircases and a lift. Other facilities include a Care Station, General Office and the Managers Office.
ACCOMODATION
St Vincent’s has 25 single bedrooms; all bedrooms have an en-suite bathroom and some have a small balcony.
All residents have their own single bedroom, with an en-suite bathroom. All rooms are furnished to a high standard and have modern safety features fitted which include a 24 hour carer call system and smoke detectors. All have a TV point and residents may have telephones at their own expense. Residents’ rooms are not all identical and all do not have the same facilities. The sizes range from approximately 10 sq. metres to 17.75 sq. metres. There are 6 bedrooms on the lower ground floor, 5 on the ground floor and 14 on the first floor.
Residents are encouraged to personalise their own rooms with their possessions to achieve as homely an environment as possible.
All bedrooms are pleasantly decorated and furnished with a bed, bedside table, chest of drawers with a lockable top drawer, wardrobe, easy chair, small desk or table. Residents are able to bring their own items of furniture if requested.
We like the residents to feel that everything they own is safe, so they are able to keep their room locked or lock those items in a lockable drawer. Residents can bring in their own items such as ornaments, pictures, a television, radio, or a CD player. All that we ask is that the sound volume is not at a level on radios, music players, or televisions that will disturb other residents, especially during night hours.
On some occasions, it may be necessary for a resident to change rooms as their capabilities change. Unless it is an emergency, any such changes are only made after an agreement between the resident, or their representative, and Manager.
Each bedroom, bathroom and communal area has a call system to enable residents to summon assistance if required.
PERSONAL CARE & SUPPORT
The home employs dedicated, trained staff, to provide quality care which will meet the overall personal and health care needs and preferences of individuals.
Personal care is provided by care staff and they are able to give support with daily living tasks 24 hours a day as at night there are “night awake” care staff on duty. The staff are there to help the residents. There will always be a staff member to help an individual wake and get up in the mornings if they need this sort of help. Staff will also talk to residents about what they are going to do in the day and help them to get where they want to go, or do things with them during the day. They will also help if they are not feeling very well or are having trouble in getting along with other residents.
Care is provided whilst maintaining privacy, personal dignity and fostering independence for each individual resident.
The Home has assisted bathing and shower facilities which allows care staff to assist clients. A salon hair wash unit is also available for the visiting hairdresser to use with any resident who wishes to take advantage of this facility.
A hairdresser and a chiropodist visit on a regular basis for the convenience of the residents. Charges apply.
All residents are free to choose their own GP. There is an excellent liaison with the local General Practices, hospital, District Nurses and Community Services which enables us to care for residents with high dependency.
Nearby hospitals provide all the normal services and emergency cover as required. Nursing care cannot be undertaken.
The care staff are based in the Care Station which is open 24 hours a day. There is a medical area that offers the facility for prescribed medications to be dispensed.
Care Station
Support with general and administrative matters can be obtained from either the Manager or the Head of Finance & Administration. In the main office, there is also a safe in which residents can be offered the facility to store items securely.
Care Equipment
The Home has 2 bath hoists, a hoist, Mangar Elk plus other mobility aids to help in the safe and comfortable moving and handling of Residents. Any item of care equipment that is required to aid with the care of our residents we will endeavor to purchase.
Medication
If a resident prefers to self-medicate and is deemed safe to do so following a risk assessment, the Home will support them with advice and guidance. A lockable facility is available accordingly. Otherwise, all drugs will be managed by the staff, dispensed, and ordered on their behalf under the instructions of their General Practitioner. Any resident may request to see a doctor in private if they so wish.
Care Planning
All residents have an individual plan of care. Prior to admission information is gathered from the potential resident, relatives and carers, GP, and any other professionals involved. In the case of a hospital discharge the medical and nursing staff are included. This information is formatted into a pre-admission assessment and is used to decide whether the required care needs may be met.
After admission, this information is checked for validity and is enhanced to form the initial written plan of daily care. The resident and/or next of kin are involved at every stage.
Care plans are available for perusal by residents and/or relatives with permission at any time. Additions and alterations are made on a daily basis to ensure that changes in care needs are addressed. The resident concerned is involved with this process at all times.
Once developed the Care Plan is reviewed regularly. During staff shift changeover the current resident’s needs are handed over by the out-going to the in-coming shift and any issues discussed.
Residents and their families are encouraged to participate in the formulation and review of care plans. They are always welcome to discuss their progress, level of support and care being provided. Changes in care plans are recorded on a rolling basis to ensure a complete history of care is maintained.
Any required amendments to the care plan are fully recorded.
Laundry
The Resident’s clothes are laundered by the staff in the home’s laundry facility. No charge is made for the laundering of resident’s clothing with the exception of dry cleaning. If residents require items dry cleaned this can be arranged by the staff but the cost for this must be met by the resident.
All used clothing will be collected from the resident's room and returned to them within 48 hours, washed, and ironed.
All clothing belonging to a resident must be labeled with their name.
Staff are more than willing to assist with this task and labels can be ordered through the office if required.
The laundry room is on the lower ground floor.
Telephone
Residents may have their own private line installed in their room if they wish to do so but must meet the cost of the installation and are responsible for the payment of the bills connected to the line.
