Boniface House

Mum has been at Boniface for 3 months, she is 90 and suffers with dementia and arthritis. My brother and I were forced to act quickly in finding a care home (not a pleasurable task at all) as mum had a couple of falls and we knew coming out of hospital meant going into a care. Even with limited time to look (visited 6) we couldn't be more pleased with our choice. The staff at Boniface are incredibly hard working, conscientious and provide excellent care at all levels. It is extremely well run and they have created a real "family" environment. On more than one occasion has it been said that staff wouldn't hesitate in sending one of their own loved ones there should the need arise. In fact one of them has a parent in residence. What better recommendation? It is very well set out and is divided into small self-contained units (6-8 people), each with their own lounge/dining/kitchen facilities. It is on one level which makes it safe and easy for residents to stroll round and visit other areas. No-one is shut away and left to their own devices and people are encouraged to leave their rooms and interact, unless they choose otherwise (nothing is forced). There is a lovely bright and airy open plan day room which has recently been very successfully refurbished. It has doors off to the well tended gardens and is a perfect place to sit when visiting - staff pass by and happily offer tea/biscuits (almost forgot where I was!!) As a family we are very into our food (mum in previous years always cooked/baked/made her own jam), so we were delighted to discover that the food is of a consistently high standard, always fresh and very tasty. No soggy over-cooked veggies, well-filled sandwiches, and amazing cakes. Even the plates are hot, so hats off to the kitchen staff too! If I had to say a downside it would be the rooms. Not the biggest and no en-suite facilities, only a sink. I struggled with this at first (especially knowing what a lovely flat was being left behind) but quickly came to the conclusion that this wasn't by any means the most important thing in securing mum's well being, and I was right. The good news is that the rooms are up for refurbishment in the foreseeable future, fingers crossed it won't be long! To conclude, we are more than happy with our choice. Boniface is neither luxurious nor state-of-the-art, but we could not wish for better staff care and dedication. It is always clean and without horrid smells that I found at others and there is always a happy buzz. Mum is doing well and thriving in a happy lively environment and enjoys more stimulation than she's had for years. A massive thank you to all at Boniface.
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