We’re pleased to confirm, in line with government guidance, all team members have had both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. Our treasured residents and team have all been offered their booster and we are working with our health partners to ensure those who were unable to have an earlier dose at the time, due to health conditions for example, have it as soon as possible.
We have a whole host of measures in place to manage the risk of someone bringing the virus into our home. Our team members remain dedicated to do all they can to keep our residents safe, completing a lateral flow test at home and registering the result prior to every shift. Residents also complete a monthly PCR test where a swab is taken and sent off to a lab to be tested. Visitors to our home, such as health professionals must also complete a lateral flow test prior to arrival and everyone working or visiting must wear appropriate PPE at all times, without exception. To put it simply, we don’t take any chances and if someone has Covid-19 symptoms then they don’t come into the home.
Hygiene is our top priority inside the home and is fundamental to everything we do. All areas are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected frequently throughout the day with high-quality products. Further additional cleaning measures are in place for high contact points, lounges, dining rooms and other areas where people meet. All of our team members change in and out of their uniforms at work and additional infection control training has been delivered.
We work with individual families and future residents on a case by case basis to assess the risk prior to each person moving in with us. This involves carefully assessing all risk factors such as whether a person has had Covid before, how many doses of the vaccine they’ve had, where they’ve been living before joining us and what level of contact they’ve had with other people. This risk assessment, coupled with a combination of PCR and LFD rapid testing could mean someone doesn’t have to complete the full isolation if they are considered to be a low risk and their test results are negative. For any period of self-isolation, our dedicated team use the knowledge we have gathered prior to the person moving in, as well as information we often glean through chats over a cuppa and a piece of cake, to ensure this time is a nice and comfortable experience. There are lots of opportunities to still take part in activities, pursue hobbies and try new things and we provide room service for their home-cooked meals and snacks throughout the day and night. We’re also there to chat to and, as family plays a huge role in our vibrant care home life, we make sure that all residents are able to remain in regular contact with their loved ones.
We’re pleased to be supporting face-to-face visits from our residents’ loved ones, in line with government guidance. There is currently no limit on the number of different visitors a resident can have but we do limit how many people can visit at a time as these regular visits take place in residents’ bedrooms to minimise the risk to everyone in the home.
We provide regular updates to families regarding testing and visiting guidance and our Manager is always available to answer any questions you may have. Finally, we regularly post on Facebook with been getting up to so it’s a great place to build a picture of what life is like here. Be assured that as we learn to live with Covid-19, we will continue to take every step we can to ensure personal connections are maintained and indeed continue to flourish.
We ensure our residents have access to both state-of-the-art technology as well as traditional pastimes and have a dedicated lifestyles team on hand to arrange a variety of activities. Whether it’s arts and crafts, a pub quiz, a sing along with a virtual entertainer, socialising over our home-baked afternoon tea, walks in our gardens, watching a film, playing games, being pampered in our salon or relaxing with a good book, life is certainly not boring for our residents. Our team are always there to provide the support, security and confidence to our residents to engage in such activities, where they can try new things or indulge in favourite hobbies. That said, if one of our beloved residents wants to have breakfast in bed and watch their favourite TV shows in their room, we understand and there is no pressure to get involved in anything. After all, we all have to admit we like doing that from time to time.
