Archived: Real Life Options - 14 Broadway Avenue

The people in this home had lived there for several years. This was a settled environment with a stable staff team. We saw that staff knew and communicated with people well.

There were good systems for planning care and support. These took account of the needs and preferences of the people who lived in the home.

Staff supported people to live the lives they chose. People accessed community facilities and took part in a range of activities and social events. People told us that they chose their activities. One person told us that she was looking forward to a holiday in Blackpool.

Staff told us that they had time to give people individual support. They showed that they understood the need to help people to maintain their dignity. A relative told us, 'X always looks smartly dressed and in clothes that actually fit her comfortably.'

There were good arrangements for storing, administering and recording medication, so that people received the medicines they needed.

There were good systems for making sure that staff were well trained. Staff received good support in order to carry out their roles effectively. They were supervised by managers and there were regular staff meetings.

There were effective systems for assessing the risks to people and for keeping people safe.

There were good arrangements for monitoring the performance of the home including seeking people's views and carrying out regular checks on records.

People were encouraged and supported by care staff to make decisions about their care and their daily activity as far as they were able. Staff treated people with respect, warmth and good humour, they knew people well and understood their communication style and this helped people to make decisions.

Assessments identified risks that were associated with the person's needs and condition and risks were positively managed so that people's independence was not unnecessarily restricted.

People had care plans that were individual to them and were regularly reviewed and updated. One person told us that they were well looked after at the home, but they didn't like living there and they were moving soon. This showed that the service responded to people's developing needs.

People were supported by a consistent team of care staff with appropriate skills, qualifications and knowledge. Records required to care for people and to run the service were securely stored and were in good order.