People were able to tell us about their experiences and we spent some time in the home's communal lounge and dining room observing people and staff. Interactions were warm and friendly with staff clearly having a good knowledge about the people they were caring for.Everyone we spoke with confirmed that their privacy and dignity were maintained at all times. People also said that they were able to make day to day decisions such as what time they got up and how and where they spent their time. People told us about the weekly meeting during which menus and activities were decided upon.
People showed us their care plans and told us that they had been involved in writing them. They also told us about the reviews that were held when they were asked if anything needed changing in their care plans.
Everyone said that they had no concerns about how their personal care needs were met. People said that if they were unwell then staff would contact a doctor for them. One person was unwell when we visited and people told us staff would take them drinks and meals to their bedroom. People told us about their care files and that they had been involved in writing them. People knew who their key workers were.
People said staff were available when they needed them and knew what care they required. They also said that staff were very pleasant and had the necessary time to meet their needs.
People showed us the activities plan and told us that they decided what activities they would do. They talked about lots of different things they did. Different people told us about different activities which would confirm that people were able to do activities of their choice.
We spoke with one person who also had some physical care needs. They told us that they had all the equipment they needed to ensure they were as independent as possible.
People told us about the support they received with their personal money. They told us that they could spend their money as they wished and showed us items they had purchased.
We were told that people had been involved with meeting potential new staff and had been able to give their thoughts on people's suitability.
People explained to us about the weekly meetings that were held during which they decided menus and activities. They said that they were also able to raise other issues at these meetings. People said that if they had any concerns or complaints they would raise these. Nobody had any concerns when we spoke to them and said they would recommend the home to friends.
We spoke with a relative who was very positive about the home. They described how their relative had increased social skills since being at Kingston Farmhouse.