Brook House Care Centre

Summary of Findings

Building

Brook House Care Centre is located in Thamesmead, Greenwich and has bus stops located nearby. Thamesmead Shopping Centre is a short walking distance from the home. When we arrived, we noted rubbish in the driveway leading up to the home as well as some old furniture which looked like it was ready to be taken to the recycling centre. The car park is large and had a good number of spaces, including accessible bays, for residents and visitors. There is level access from the car park to the front entrance. 

Brook House has three floors; on the ground floor is the Diane Suite which is for young people with physical disabilities, on the first floor is older people nursing care in the Elizabeth Suite and dementia care is in the Victoria Suite on the 2nd floor. The home is fully accessible and there are two lifts which access all floors.

Reception/ Communal areas

Brook House has a secure entrance and manned reception. When we arrived, the door was answered very promptly and welcomed warmly. All visitors are required to sign in upon arrival for security. The reception area is clean and neat with information for visitors about the home and upcoming events. There was no dedicated notice board, but posters of events were displayed on the door to the home. There is a unisex toilet and a drinking water fountain available in the reception area for visitors while they wait.

Communal areas were clean, uncluttered and neat but décor was tired and could do with refreshing. There are nice colour themes which differentiate the suites from one another. The furniture is well maintained and kept Lighting throughout the building was bright and well lit. The home felt warm and homely, but more could be done to ensure the interior decoration is brought up to a high quality.

The corridors are wide, with good flooring through out the building. There are wooden hand rails, and these are painted, however this is not always in a contrasting colour so not always clear for people with visual impairments. Also, we noted some paint chipping on these rails from wheelchairs or trolleys which needs to be repainted.

The signage to the emergency exits, as well as the communal spaces, is clear. Many of the doors included pictorial representation for residents with dementia. All cleaning cupboards and storage rooms were locked and only accessible by staff. The corridors on the different floors have clear colour themes and are decoration to distinguish them from one another.

Most of the toilets and bathrooms have been newly refurbished and were clean and fresh. Some toilets still require refurbishment and we noted loose taps and unfinished elements in the new furnishings. The cleaning rotas were up to date and displayed in the rooms. There are handrails, and these are dark blue which makes them easy to see against the walls.

The lounge and dining rooms have a nice warm and cosy feeling, but the décor is tired and needs refurbishment. Seating in the lounge is communal with a good number of seating available. A TV was on and being watched by residents while others we seen chatting between themselves. The dining rooms were quite sparse with only small tables which were spread out which does not seem to promote social interaction at meal times.

Resident’s rooms

The resident’s rooms are of a good size and all have en suite wet rooms which include a toilet. They all include a window and radiator, and the temperature felt suitable. Each room has a lockable cupboard and the rooms are lockable from the inside. There is a call bell that can be reached if the resident needs to get the attention of a staff member. Rooms can be personalised, and residents can have a TV or phone installed if they would like.

The doors have plaques which are created for each resident’s room. They include a photo, the name they prefer to be called and the name of their keyworker. This makes the room easier to identify for the residents and their visitors as well as establishing a connection with the individual.

Meals

There seemed to be a good choice available on the menu with standard options should the variations not be appealing. The menu is displayed in each dining room for residents to view throughout the day. Resident’s care plans include important information for e.g. allergies, if they are diabetic, if they require pureed food or have personal preferences with their food. This information is also displayed on a whiteboard in the kitchen. The food is prepared by the kitchen staff on site and then transported to the dining room areas. Drinks are available all day by calling the staff if the resident is in their room or they can ask a staff member while they are in the lounge areas. Residents can choose to have their breakfast in bed if wanted. Meal times are protected so visitors are asked not to visit during mealtimes. However, family members can request to assist their relatives with eating if this is desired.

Feedback and service user involvement

A resident’s meeting takes place every 3 months where feedback is gathered about upcoming activities and menu changes. However due to the change of care provider of Ashgreen House these have not taken place for a while.