Ivonbrook Care Home

This home cares for my 88 year old Uncle who has been there since September 2014 and I visit at least twice a week - so I regularly meet the staff and see the home at various times of the day and week. He is completely 'with it' and so for us, his immediate family, it is very worthwhile to keep his mind engaged. He knows if we have been away, or if we are poorly ourselves. Uncle is in the upstairs where other residents are 'Nursing' category, although he is not 'Nursing' he is very wobbly walking and prone to falls, the home want to keep their eyes on him! So this is lovely. The staff are always warmly welcoming and checking that the residents are safe and that you as a relative are happy with the care and support offered to them. The meals are 'proper cooking' - and this is lovely to see as the older people enjoy eating the food that is prepared and cooked on the premises. There is a good range of activities and the volunteer coordinator takes a lot of trouble to arrange visits to local parks, ice cream parlour, steam train etc - to name just a few in 2015. Relatives and carers are encouraged to come along and help - by pushing wheelchairs and supporting the residents. The staff are encouraged to engage with the residents and it helps if you let them know a few things about them. My Uncle was a secondary school Physics teacher and is interested in any new or updated facilities in the home - like the installation of an additional tilting, bubbling bath. He also went to line dancing twice a week up until his stroke in August 2014! So keen on the chair based exercises and staff know to encourage him to come along. The ethos behind engaging is a component part of providing person centred care and mitigates against any onset of dementia. The laundry service is really good and they do miss her when she has her annual leave! Overall this family run Care and Nursing home has a good balance between providing well priced care and support and a homely friendly environment for the residents and visitors.
Original Comment Report...

My mum has been in Ivonbrook for the last three years, one of the reasons I chose there is that she only qualified for residential but Ivonbrook is also for nursing patients too, so when her dementia progressed she wouldn't need to relocate to another home. The Owner, the manager and all the staff are really friendly and professional and my mum loves being able to see the Fallow Deer that come down onto the lawn during the day.
Original Comment Report...