Residential care used to be rather rigid and clinical, with staff in uniform and set timetables. Halland House has always been different though, creating a more homely atmosphere that was ahead of its time. So, what does contemporary residential care look like and how do we make sure we’re keeping up with the times?
A fresh approach
Making a residential home feel like a family home may not sound like a contemporary approach but in many ways it is. Traditional residential care could hardly be called warm and friendly. By providing our residents with a home they feel welcome in and are happy to live out their lives in, we have created something fresh and appealing.
How do we create this homely atmosphere? By caring about our residents and understanding that they have emotional as well as physical needs. We believe everyone has a right to a fulfilling life and to be part of a community.
We work with our residents to identify and fulfil their personal development goals. Our services are person-centred, with care plans tailored to each resident and then regularly reviewed.
Changing with the times
We may have always provided a warm and caring home for our residents, but that doesn’t mean we haven’t changed with the times. Readers wondering what contemporary residential care looks like may have an image in their mind of a shiny new building but Halland House looks a bit different. Our building is an old one, but that doesn’t mean it’s not contemporary. We’ve made many changes over the years, updating and refurbishing the interior.
One of the changes we made some time ago was to divide the house into three sections. One section on the ground floor is for highly-dependent residents including those with mobility issues, a section on the first floor is for our reasonably-able residents and we have a dedicated annexe for residents who are developing their independent living skills. This division means we are more able to provide the right level of care to our residents, and the smaller groups make for a more tight-knit care family.
Making life fun
When you read about contemporary residential care, a lot of focus is placed on making life enjoyable for the residents. That may be a new approach for elderly care homes, but with a wide range of ages, we’ve always worked to give our residents an active and engaging life. We have a big activity room where residents can participate in crafts and other therapeutic and fun activities. We also have a great outdoor space for supervised outdoor activities.
Part of the community
While we’re proud of the service we provide, we recognise that people want to get out and about in the local community too. We have a minibus which means we can take residents out on outings to shops, the beach, cafes and even special trips further afield to places like theme parks. We also welcome members of the community to attend our events such as the Christmas panto.
Moving forward
While we’re confident that we’ve always done our best to give our residents meaningful lives, we are aware that the world is always changing and we need to change with it. Our current team is excited to implement new ways of working to keep our services contemporary and provide our residents with a happy home.
Find out more
If you think Halland House may be the right place for someone you know and would like to find out more, visit our website or get in touch on 01825 840 268 for more information.