Enter and view: Cassandra House

This is an Enter and View by Healthwatch East Riding of Yorkshire. Healthwatch representatives visited the Cassandra House care home to speak to residents and assess the care delivered there.

Key findings:

• Having a handwashing station in reception is an excellent idea.
• Consulting with residents’ and asking for their opinions regarding decorating and themes for communal rooms.
• Consulting with residents to find out their preferred activities.
• Including residents in the interview panel when recruiting staff.
• The home is responsive and listens to residents wishes, for example the raised planters in the courtyard.
• There was plenty of good, clear signage and lots of notice boards displaying information throughout the home.

There are recommendations in this report.

• Move the activities board into the corridor near the lounges so it is easier for residents to see. Have pictures as well as names of activities and say when and where these will be held.
• Ensure colour of banisters contrasts with the walls so that residents with dementia and sight loss can see them more easily.
• Ensure all toilet doors have dementia friendly signage, with a picture of a toilet, as has been done with toilet 2.
• Replace the door mat inside the front door as it is worn, and the edge is slightly lifted which could be a trip hazard.
• Ensure door sills are very clearly marked with yellow and black tape so they can be seen more clearly.
• Replace carpet down the Dragonfly Wing corridor as this is quite worn.
• Download “What If” cards from the ERYC Safeguarding website as guidance from Safeguarding as to what action to take if there is uncertainty about whether to report a safeguarding concern.
• Rather than just putting the name of the keyworker on the room notice board state explicitly: “Your keyworker is [insert name]” to make it clearer to residents who that named person is and that they are their keyworker.

There are no follow up actions in this report.