Every day we trust our children in other people’s hands by sending them to nursery or to school. But, do we send them without researching the place and reading the Ofsted reports? Absolutely not!
When it comes to our children we make sure every ‘I’ is dotted and every ‘T’ is crossed and then we still worry and count down the hours until they are home to find out how their day has been, keeping everything crossed that they appear with a smile and excited gabble.
Finding a care home should be no different ‘children, parents, grandparents, great grandparents’ everyone is special and we want the best for our loved ones, regardless of their age.
So, what makes a good care home? What service do they provide? Where to start? Questions……questions, we understand that it can feel like crossing a mine field in bare feet, but hopefully after a few things are considered we can make you feel like you can dance across the mines in stiletto heels with a smile on your face.
Let’s start with……. What do you think of when you hear the words ‘CARE HOME’?
It’s extremely difficult to understand what a care home actually is if you have never experienced one before.
If you have never been in a home to visit your ‘nearest and dearest’, it can conjure up a completely different conception, far from what the reality actually is.
A small clue is in the words, break the words down and analyse each one separately and you will become close to understanding just a small percentage of what a care home is.
Everyone has a different understanding of the word’s ‘care’ and ‘home’ however the general prospectus is, very similar. According to the English dictionary……
CARE……The provision of what is necessary for the health, welfare, maintenance and the protection of someone or something.
HOME……The place you live, somewhere you feel safe and secure, providing comfort and peace.
Basic human needs such as being warm, comfortable and having assistance with washing, bathing, eating and drinking ease a resident’s physical needs.
But what about mental needs?
It’s just as important to feel happy, content, stimulated, safe, loved, treated as an individual, respected and listened too.
When all of the mental and emotional needs are met, the physical needs become far easier to manage.
We all know, if we are happy and feel safe and secure we are able to relax and sleep. If we feel agitated and have a mind full of worries, we can all kiss the Z’S goodbye, no amount of ‘sheep jumping’ stops the mind from racing.
Ask yourself a question….
If someone treats you bad or talks down to you, would you then turn around and take their advice? Would you trust them when they hand you medication? The answer would definitely be a NO!
We all get older every single day, does that make us less of a human being? Do we lose our individuality? Should we be shown less respect than someone younger than us? Again, a resounding NO!
What happens if we sit alone with our own thoughts, day after day without interaction or stimulation? We become withdrawn, sad unloved and depressed. We begin to over think a situation and the tiniest of problems then become giant craters that we just can’t see past.
So, what would you choose for your loved one?
As the meercat would say ‘simples’ it has to be Rochcare!
There is definitely no need to panic about being lonely at one of the Rochcare homes!
The team of highly professional dedicated staff strive from having fun and seeing the residents smile and interacting. There is never a dry eye or an unhappy frown as belly laughter, crying with tears and ‘Cheshire cat’ grins are a must!
Each Care Home has a ‘events coordinator’ that dream up the most – wackiest of games, guaranteed to even put a smile on the saddest of faces!
From crafts and singing to ‘jolly trolley’ carts and even ‘flip flop’ throwing!
For all those ladies out there, that love a good old pamper, our team are also budding therapists! So, mud, clay and cucumbers can be at hand when the ladies (or guys) need a boost to make them look even more radiant.
“Rochcare believes that no person in a care home should receive exactly the same care or experience as another resident”.
Why is this?
If two people were born on the same day, of the same month and year, and have the same diagnosis, does that mean they have the same taste? No not at all, we all have different hobbies and interests, that’s what makes us unique!
The staff at Rochcare truly recognises the importance of individuality and are given ‘bucket loads of time’ to spend talking to residents, getting to know them, and listening to them; their wants, needs, and even their dreams and wishes.
Unfortunately, but Understandably due to a person’s disability, age, or cost not all wants can be met, but the team go above and beyond and strive to meet as many of them as possible, no matter how far “out of the box” they may seem.
Be it a pint and ‘pub grub’ down the local, a trip to the local nursery or just a ‘good old knees up’ and singing whilst the organist bangs out a few classic tunes. Rochcare try and cater for everyone. (Although some staff do have a few dodgy moves on the dance floor).
However, on another note, not every want or need is extravagant. Often just knowing that one resident takes milk and two sugars in their tea, with a jammy dodger on the side to dunk and another resident prefers coffee with a splash of cold water and lemon, with a bourbon (un-dunked), sometimes means the world.
The team not only love the residents they also love their families and getting to know them and their interests, whether it’s ‘Audrey’s great grandson starting school’, or Little Johnny taking his first steps across the lounge or even Sally’s wedding last May (despite the dodgy hen do disaster) In each of Rochcare homes we are all one big happy family!
Rochcare have banned the world ‘Institutionalisation’, why should every resident be served tea with milk and sugar regardless of their personal preference, it may not seem like a massive deal, but essentially it is robbing someone of their individuality, and giving the impression that what they want/like doesn’t really matter anymore.
So now when you think of a care home stop thinking it’s a group of old people sitting in a lounge staring blankly at walls or a TV screen, (which isn’t even turned on) with little or no stimulation. Hopefully, now you will be thinking the complete opposite!
Rochcare homes are brightly decorated, colourful and bustling with life. Filled with staff who realise the job they do is so important; staff who provide a variety of activities and experiences throughout the day like pampering, games, baking, flower arranging and above all smiles and laughter.
When relatives and friends visit their loved ones, they feel as though they are entering their loved one’s home, not a workplace or hospital. All of the rooms are warm, comfortable and inviting and filled with personalised items. So where ever you go, there’s always a photo frame featuring a smiling face on beaming back at you.
To find out more, give us a call or pop in and have the guided tour from one of our friendly highly experienced staff.
Putting you at the heart of our homes……..
From All of the team at Rochcare