Enter and view: Ashlynn Grange

Healthwatch Cambspboro visited Ashlynn Grange on 25 September 2019. They found that overall the care home appears to be well-managed with friendly, experienced staff.

Findings

• Ashlynn Grange has an airy homely feel with opportunities for an interesting range of activities for the residents.
• Healthwatch observed activity coordinators encouraging residents to take part in different activities. They are developing ideas to ensure interests and activities are pursued to help the health and fitness of the residents.
• Mealtimes can be taken in the main or smaller quieter lounges to give variety to the residents. The lounges are set out nicely with a café/homely feeling. Most of the residents like the choice of meals.
• The home is working hard to ensure residents obtain the health services they need. The Manager has been communicating with the CCG to highlight the difficulties in obtaining dental care for residents. She has also recently heard from the CCG regarding the accessibility to a GP for respite patients. Previously this had been an issue, but it has been clarified respite residents are entitled to see a local GP while at the home.
• Healthwatch observed good care during our visit. They saw a genuine friendliness and encouragement to socialise; for example, one carer danced with a dementia patient during the entertainment, which made her cry as she realised how much this meant to the resident.
• The home is planning a continued improvement in its dementia environment through redecoration and making a dementia-friendly garden. One unused unit is planned to reopen once it has been refurbished.

Recommendations

• the activity coordinators should encourage activities for residents who do not wish to leave their room or are not able to go to the lounge area.
• The home should offer more trips outside the home for people who are more active.
• Residents should be given more opportunities to spend time in the gardens
• The home should cater for different styles of music tastes, for example classical and opera.
• Although bowls of fruit were around the lounge area, residents were too polite to help themselves. more fruit would be eaten as a healthy snack if staff offered it to the residents, for example when afternoon tea is offered.
• The home should use contrasting colours in handrails and bathroom fittings when upgrading the décor in the Yeoman community. This make the space more dementia-friendly for residents who may be in the early stages of dementia.
• The shortage of dentists in the area makes daily oral care important. Staff should be reminded how important this is for basic daily care, especially due to the difficulties of accessing dentists in the area. Staff awareness and education around dentures would also be useful.