Forest Brow is a residential care home tucked into the village of Liss, Hampshire. We are a home of 32 residents, with a staff team that is on-hand and constantly looking to improve our facilities and services. Through our care, dining, accommodation and activities our home really comes to life, creating a thriving environment with a close-knit community. Get in touch with us today to find out more!
Quick answer: Why does Forest Brow meet the criteria?
As a home with a staff team that always wants to do the best for the residents, our care is of high quality due to this goal. By placing the residents at the centre of what we do, we are always working towards improving our services.
Through our various services, grounded on our high-quality care, we are able to provide holistic support to each of our residents us. This makes us an ideal residential care home, welcoming and suitable for those with wide-ranging needs.
How do I evaluate the quality of a residential care home?
Residential care homes are centred on the quality of their care and how they look after those that stay with them. Quality starts with the treatment of each resident, and how residents shape the services of the home.
This should look like a residential care home that puts residents first through constant care and a structured system that benefits the residents. This is seen in Forest Brow, where there is 24-hour care provided by highly trained staff. All of our staff have a Level 4 diploma in care, some reaching level 5. As well as this, our staff are eager to improve and undergo extra courses and training in order to greater fulfil their role. It is for this reason that some of our team has been award-winning, such as winning Carer of the Year. Awards represent the effort and quality of the care that we provide. Providing around the clock care means that residents can always be tended to, making them feel truly at rest and comfortable here with us.
This care isn’t just consistent but is also personalised. By assigning each resident a carer, they get to see and communicate with a familiar face who can be there for them at all times. This familiarity, combined with the 24-hour support, creates an environment that feels welcoming and safe, creating a real homely feel in residential care homes. We also offer specialised dementia care if this is needed, as well as being able to tailor our care based on the individual needs of residents. Please do specify and ask questions so that we can offer the best care for our residents when they stay here with us.
The quality of a residential care home is also seen in the quality of the care offered there. At Forest Brow, our high quality of care is emphasised by our CQC report with our care as ‘good’. This is testament to the hard work of our staff and simply the high quality of care that our residential care home provides to all that experience staying with us.
What questions should I ask when visiting a care residential home?
There are many key questions to ask when you are visiting a care home.
Immediately, you should be asking about the daily life and routine of the home. This involved what day-to-day care looks like, what sort of activities residents get involved in and what they experience on a typical day in the home. This allows you to understand whether the care is constant, personalised and fitting to each individual.
You should also ask about visiting hours and accessibility, that can be a crucial part of residents staying here with us. Our opening hours at Forest Brow and the excellent transport links across Hampshire means that visiting is made easy, but please do ask us when you come to visit or contact us via the details that are in the FAQs or on our website.
As well as this, make sure you are asking about the facilities and services on offer that are specifically tailored to the needs of your loved ones. Residents deserve to feel completely and wholly looked after when staying in a residential care home, and so you should ask how the home can cater to the individual needs of the resident that will come to stay.
You should also ask about the living arrangements and building, which you will be toured around. At Forest Brow, without visiting we can give you plenty of information on this. All of our rooms are single occupancy and en-suite, allowing for the residents to each have their own personal space. These questions are important so that you know how your loved one will live in and navigate the home.
How do residential care homes compare to assisted living facilities?
The key difference between residential care homes and assisted living facilities is the level of independence. Whilst in both there is the opportunity for 24-hour round the clock care, care homes offer much more structured support. In assisted living, there is a structure of care that is on hand to assist whenever necessary, but this is done in a less direct and all-encompassing way, allowing for those staying to remain independent and in control of their daily lives.
Assisted living is aimed at people who still have great ability to care for themselves but they have the care there if needed, whilst residential care homes have a constant stream of support for those that are within them. As well as this, assisted living typically used small apartments or flats, allowing for the individuals to have their own space whilst residential care homes are contained within the one building. In terms of personal care, assisted living facilities will have staff on site but they will be waiting to be called upon rather than a constant presence.
At Forest Brow, we are a residential care home that provides this constant stream of support. With a dedicated, hard-working staff team we ensure that the care we provide is of the highest standard to ensure that every resident is having a comfortable, safe and valuable time when they stay here with us. At the core of our ethos is the needs of our residents and one way which we fulfil that through our care home is the role of the staff who are crucial in delivered care.
What ratings or reviews should I check for residential care homes?
The main rating to check is the Care Quality Commission Reports (CQC) which are the official regulator for care homes in England. At Forest Brow, we are proud to have received a good rating in three out of the five categories inspected, and are avidly improving in the areas which require improvement.
Our care being good is representative of our focus on personalised care for the unique needs of the patients, revealing our ability to tailor our services to each resident that stays here with us.
Are there residential care homes that specialise in dementia care?
Residential care homes have varied specialisations that are often outlined on their individual websites. There are certainly some that specialise in dementia care. At Forest Brow, we are proud to specialise in dementia care.
This means that at Forest Brow we are suited to care for those that have dementia, and have both the staff and facilities to fulfil this role to a high standard. Whilst we recognise and value the differences in the needs of each resident, it is our pleasure to be able to offer specialised care for those that have dementia. This is due to the training undergone by our staff to allow for such care to be offered, again showing the dedication of our staff to their roles as carers within our home.
So, certainly some residential care homes specialise in dementia care, including Forest Brow care home that is located in Hampshire. Please feel free to get into contact with us with any queries, we are happy to help and recognise and value the differences in needs between residents.
FAQs:
What is the cost of residents staying here?
Though fees do vary depending on individual requirements and the type of room, typically our weekly fee is between £1,200 and £1,500. This includes all meals, most in-house activities, the care and accommodation cost. We only charge for certain outings and events, individual lifestyle items and we ask that residents provide personal toiletries.
How can families get in touch?
Families can either call 0800 193 1158 or email us at info@forestbrow.org.uk
What type of care is on offer?
Our main priority is the needs of the residents and with this comes flexibility. Day care residents are more than welcome and we can also offer respite placements subject to availability. Every resident is made to feel part of the Forest Brow community in order to maintain a high-quality care environment.