Manor House

The care home is made up of two units, Manor Lodge a purpose-built extension and the older Manor House. There are some bedrooms on the first floor accessed by a lift. All communal areas, such as lounges, or dining rooms are on the ground floor.

There was a thorough, holistic assessment process which ensured the service was able to meet people's needs when they moved into the home. Mealtime experiences were positive, staff understood people's dietary requirements and all food was freshly prepared. The premises had been adapted to people's needs both physically, with wide corridors and handrails as well as appropriate signage to help people orientate themselves around the home. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Relatives and people told us staff were kind and helpful. One relative told us, "Staff are passionate about working with older people." Staff spent time to get to know people well, they knew people's histories and were aware of people's wellbeing. They could spot signs that people were not well if they were unable to communicate. Staff promoted people's independence, privacy and dignity.

Care was personalised to people's needs. The service monitored, and staff were updated, when people's needs changed. There were communication plans in place to support people's communication where they had difficulties. There was a full activities programme which aimed to reduce people's isolation either in groups or on a one to one basis. The service was skilled at caring for people at the end of their life. Staff had been trained and made sure that additional support was offered at this time, both to the individuals themselves as well as keeping in contact with relatives.

The service was well managed. People, relatives and staff were positive about the management of the service and the input from the provider. Managers were described as open, accessible, and supportive. Managers understood their roles and there were robust systems in place to monitor the quality of care provided. Relatives and people were involved in the service through regular contact with the provider and there was an annual questionnaire used to gather people's views. The provider had an ongoing process to

improve the service in response to feedback, learning, and new information based on best practice advice. The action plan was delivered and monitored through supervisions with the manager.