Enter and view: Eldonian House Care Home

Healthwatch Liverpool undertook an enter and view visit to Eldonian House Care Centre on 1 November 2023.  They wanted to learn more about the service.

Eldonian House Care Centre was a friendly and welcoming care home. The environment feels like it has been arranged to mirror a person’s home rather than a clinical setting which make it a pleasant environment. The use of local art and decorations as well as the bright and cheerful garden create a relaxing environment. The rooms Healthwatch saw were clean and smelled pleasant with no strong odours. There were some areas that looked tired such as some carpeting and bannisters but nothing in disrepair. The environment is clearly consistently looked after by staff and cleaning and maintenance works were obvious.

Healthwatch did not see any trip hazards or safeguarding issues during our visit. Management and staff appear to have a robust policy for keeping residents safe. This was evident in the detailed fire evacuation plans and training as well as the commitment to recording and sharing updates for all residents in handover plans. There were some lapses observed such as fire doors being propped open and temporary access to areas of maintenance. This was recognised by management who made immediate steps on the day to remedy this. 

From what they observed, and the feedback given from management, Healthwatch felt that Eldonian House Care Centre is a safe environment for residents and staff. The residents spoken to seemed happy and well cared for. People sitting in the communal areas appeared calm and relaxed. Most people spoken to, including temporary staff, gave positive feedback about the home. 

Of the Residents spoken capacity for communication and understanding was reduced. Many residents were advanced in their dementia making communication a challenge, but staff were observed consistently making the effort to try. Interactions between staff and residents seemed warm and caring. Staff appeared kind, proactive and patient in their interactions with residents. Staff consistently made the effort to greet residents by name when they saw them even when busy cleaning or with other tasks.

The report contains seven recommendations aimed at improving information about food choices, improving residents' safety, making the home more dementia friendly and providing mental health support for staff.