Enter and view: Longlea Nursing Home

This is an Enter and View report by Healthwatch Bracknell Forest and Healthwatch Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead. Healthwatch representatives visited the Longlea nursing home to assess the care being delievered there.

During the time there representatives spoke with two residents. Additionally representatives spoke to/received surveys from four relatives/friends, and six members of staff. A total of 12 people.

Key findings

Overall the residents and families are happy with the care at Longlea, but feel that the home has a capacity to make more improvements.

There are opportunities for more interaction with staff for all residents, and the garden also offers a space that can be utilised for the benefit of all the residents, as well as their relatives and the staff. We look forward to the new manager being able to make some of these positive changes.

There are recommendations in this report

• At mealtimes encourage residents to sit together in small groups, and have two smaller tables in the main dining area, to enable them to talk to each other. At nearby local care homes we found that residents ate better when they had a member of staff eating with them at mealtimes.
• Turn off the television at meal times to enable people to interact better.
• Give smaller portions of food to those who may find a large plate overwhelming
• Create more opportunities for interaction with staff, especially for those without dementia.
• Make more use of the conservatory for activities and perhaps as a quiet 
  area.
• Activities: Increase the number of outings, get more ideas for activities that can be used for all residents, from nearby care homes such as Langley Haven, which is well-known for its excellent activities.
• Garden: make much more use of the large garden area, putting in paths, raised beds, grasses, trees as well as fruit and vegetables, enabling residents to participate. If possible also make use of the large area behind the garden. Perhaps involve a local gardening club, or ask Berkshire 
  College of Agriculture, in the planning, and use the King’s Fund Garden Dementia Tool for guidance.
• Improve access to the garden with better ramps in the conservatory.
• Investigate having local village volunteers come in to chat to residents.
• Wash basins – have clearer markings for the ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ taps.
• Introduce contrasting toilet seats in bathrooms.
• Ensure that mirrors can be covered.
• Introduce larger pieces of artwork, (such as murals – a local art class may help), more tactile artwork, and some memorabilia.
• Introduce larger clocks which also give the date and weather for the day. 

There are no follow up actions in this report. The manager has responded to each of the recommendations.