Archived: Liberham Lodge

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

People were always treated with kindness, empathy and compassion. They were supported to have good quality of life in creative ways by staff who knew them well and valued them as individuals. Staff respected people’s privacy and dignity. Every effort was made to take people’s wishes into account and staff respected their choices. This enabled people to achieve the best possible outcomes for them. Staff supported people to live as independently as possible and to do what they liked and enjoyed. The registered manager implemented solutions for supporting workforce development and retention which were very consistent and innovative in relation to upskilling staff, equality, diversity and supporting staff wellbeing.

This service scored 85 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

There was a jovial atmosphere amongst people and the staff who interacted with them. Staff supporting people with their meals did so encouraging people with respect and patience.

People told us staff were kind, caring and compassionate. People said, “[Staff] are all very kind, helpful whenever I need help but overall, just very nice individuals.”; “[Staff] are gorgeous and very friendly. I have found people (staff) to be very caring. I have nothing to complain about.” People’s relatives said the same about staff. Relatives commented, “[Staff] are absolutely lovely and gentle with her, always listen to her and treat her with respect. They are wonderful not only with mum but with us too.”; “Just like family.”

Staff we spoke with talked about people in a caring and respectful way. One staff commented what was their main priority, “To provide residents with a level of support that I would want for myself-promoting independence, dignity and a true sense of wellbeing because they have had to give up so much already by accepting that they need help.”

Professionals working with the home told us staff were kind and caring and knew people well. One professional said, “In my experience, staff members are well-trained and offer excellent care, frequently described as "lovely and kind" by residents. Residents often express satisfaction with the staff, emphasizing their kindness and compassion. Liberham Lodge fosters an inclusive environment where residents are treated with respect, regardless of individual differences.”

Staff told us, ‘treating the person as an individual’ was important and they were aware not to use ‘a one size fits all approach’. One staff member told us how they listened to a person and what they needed, and this led to a change in their care which had positive impact on the person.

There was a friendly atmosphere on the ground floor in the morning. We saw a staff member accompanied one person from the dining room and the two of them sang a song as they walked along. Everyone was encouraged to join others for lunch in the dining room. We saw staff chatting to people throughout the day.

People’s relatives told us their loved ones were valued by staff and treated as individuals. One relative said, “Yes, [staff] know her well and she knows them, has her favourites and calls some staff ‘my friend’.” A relative told us about the registered manager, “He has always got time for a chat or concerns. He is very friendly, and he will go and chat with the residents and he always spends time with mum. He was very reassuring to her when [specific situation happened], and they have a good relationship and have a laugh and joke together.” Another relative told us, “[Staff] also treat [person] as an equal, not someone who has dementia and don’t talk down to her.”

People’s care plans were tailored to their individual needs, wishes and preferences and recognised their strengths and skills. Staff worked in a way which ensured people’s needs were assessed and reviewed with their individual preferences in mind. The provider’s policies and procedures, and staff training supported that.

Staff encouraged all people to do what they were good at and could do independently. Staff used creative ways to encourage people to get involved. For example, one person was providing ‘Namaste’ sessions for other residents which supported their wellbeing and enabled the person to use their skills. Another person run a home café. The activity staff noticed male residents did not get involved so much in the events in the home and set up a pub and gentleman’s club which became very popular. Staff supported people to celebrate their achievements and input. For example, staff organised an event to celebrate one person’s past service in the army which had significant impact on their wellbeing. Staff member commented, “It doesn't sound like a big thing, but it is a big thing for them.” This helped people to feel valued and had significantly improved their quality of life which was evident in the case studies completed by staff. Care records documented how people’s independence should be promoted, such as what they can do for themselves and areas in which they required specific support. Staff were instructed to ensure people’s dignity was protected when they were being supported with personal care.

People received exceptional support to do what they wanted and to utilise their skills which improved their quality of life and made them feel valued. One person told us, “[Staff] always encourage me and make it possible by our weekly trips to Tesco’s to get the stock for the home shop. I wouldn’t be able to run the shop without them.” This person was supported to run a home shop and was acting as a resident ambassador. People’s relatives told us the offer of things to do in the home was specifically tailored to what individual people liked and valued and staff looked for innovative ways to create opportunities for people. One relative said, “There is a happy, relaxed atmosphere. The activities are very varied. The activities team are cheerful and inclusive of all needs.” Another relative commented, “The daily activities are well organised, well attended and well enjoyed. Weekly emails about activities and important information are very helpful.”

Staff treated people with respect and kindness, asked them what they wanted and encouraged them to do things they liked.

Staff knew how to support people to be as independent as possible and protected their dignity, making sure people felt in control of their support. One staff member said, “An example I can give is a resident had a fall and we put a privacy screen around them, so that people wouldn’t look walking past whilst the care team assisted him in getting up.” Another staff member said, “Give [the person] the flannel and let them wash themselves, wherever they can reach. Get them to brush their hair, get them to try. If they can stand, encourage them to stand with support. We encourage people who can walk to do that.” Staff also commented, “There is a lot of activities. There is the minibus to get people out. We do have trips out; residents can say what they would like to do. We try to accommodate their tastes in food. We try to promote independence and we definitely promote dignity. We try to promote a social atmosphere.”

People told us they could always access help when they needed it. One person said, “They will be there to help me as soon as I ask.” Relatives noticed this was the staff team’s approach and commented, “[Staff show] enormous sympathy and patience.”; “They are gentle with [person] and she responds well to them”; “The staff actively engage with my mother and are very responsive to her needs.”

Staff knew when people needed support, this was to be offered without delays and in a sensitive way. One staff member summarised, “The residents will always come first.”

Staff responded to people promptly, including if they became distressed. We saw people were all calling the registered manager by first name and it was evident this was a regular occurrence. One person said, “He always pops in to see us and we can talk to him about anything.”

The registered manager implemented solutions for supporting workforce development and retention which were very consistent and innovative in relation to upskilling staff, equality, diversity and supporting staff wellbeing. We reviewed a range of exceptionally individualised support measures provided for staff to enable them to develop in their roles or to remain in care despite personal support needs. One person living in the home was involved by the managers to help a staff member to improve their English which brought positive outcomes to both the person and the staff member, promoting equality and diversity across the home.

Staff told us they felt valued and supported by the managers and the provider. They all commented they were encouraged to voice their opinions, ideas and suggestions and the management team was acting on those. Staff told us they had regular supervisions and meetings and could easily access managers when required. One member of staff shared their experience, “Yes, [the registered manager] has an open-door policy and I always feel listened to in meetings. 2 ideas I suggested were readily received and implemented.”