Tendacare

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has changed to outstanding.

This meant people were truly respected and valued as individuals; and empowered as partners in their care in an exceptional service.

This service scored 90 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider was exceptional at treating people with kindness, compassion and dignity, consistently going above and beyond to improve people’s emotional wellbeing and quality of life. Staff developed meaningful, trusting relationships with people through a relationship-based approach and demonstrated genuine compassion in their practice. For example, staff organised a personalised 100th birthday celebration for 1 person, including creating a bespoke card and sourcing a historical recording from their past. This had a significantly positive impact on the person.

People consistently praised the kindness of staff. One person told us, "I have been shown nothing but kindness by people and shown the utmost respect by every member of staff who has been to my home." Another said, "The carers are cheerful, dependable, kind, caring and very respectful. I can't fault anything that they do for me."

Feedback from staff and families consistently described staff and leaders as warm, caring and professional, with one staff member stating, “I would feel happy if my mum was there”, demonstrating the level of trust and compassion embedded within the service. Care records and feedback showed staff spent time engaging in meaningful interactions such as singing with people, encouraging conversation, and reducing isolation, which promoted dignity and emotional wellbeing.

Staff also always treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

The provider was exceptional at recognising and valuing people as individuals and delivering highly personalised care which reflected what mattered most to them. Care planning consistently included detailed life histories, preferences, emotional needs and routines, enabling staff to tailor their approach. Staff adapted care creatively around people’s interests and beliefs, such as supporting religious practices, community activities and hobbies.

For example, 1 person had become increasingly low in mood and had gradually stopped wanting to go out. During a conversation between the service and the person’s relative, they mentioned their [family member] had once been an active member of the local Good Neighbours group. The provider discovered that the group was running a stall at the village summer fête. With encouragement from one of the carers, the person agreed to go along. This demonstrated how the provider spend time to understand what mattered to people.

Another person was struggling with bereavement. Rather than recording in their care plan, the staff wanted to see if there was something practical they could do to help. Through the local community links, and with this person’s agreement, they arranged for them to attend a monthly bereavement café at the local community hub with one of the carers for support. We saw through notes and planning how this helped relax the person in a place where people can chat over a cup of tea with others who understand what they are going through.

Additionally, staff supported people to remain connected to faith groups, attend community activities or continue hobbies, including creating opportunities for social interaction and engagement. Staff described how they had built relationships over time with people who were initially reluctant to accept care, resulting in improved trust, reduced anxiety and increased engagement with services.

The provider was exceptional at promoting people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

Staff consistently supported people to make their own decisions, including when they chose to decline care, and adapted support to reflect people’s wishes and preferences.

Care was delivered in a way that maximised independence and encouraged people to maintain skills and routines. For example, staff took a gradual, person-led approach to supporting lifestyle changes, enabling people to make sustainable improvements in their health and wellbeing without feeling pressured. This approach led to measurable improvements in outcomes, including increased independence, reduced anxiety and improved mobility.

The provider delivered highly personalised support to a person living independently in supported housing, recognising that maintaining their independence was extremely important to them. Staff understood the person experienced anxiety, particularly when routines changed or when they felt uncertain about their day.

Rather than focusing solely on care tasks, staff took time to build a trusting and meaningful relationship with the person. Consistent staff were carefully matched to support them, enabling the person to feel safe, understood and comfortable accepting support.

Through regular conversations and observation, staff developed a detailed understanding of the person's preferences, routines and anxiety triggers. They adapted their approach to reduce distress and provide reassurance. For example, staff recognised that the person became anxious when household items were not where they expected them to be and adjusted their support accordingly.

As a result, the person experienced reduced anxiety, felt more secure and confident in their daily life, and was able to maintain their independence in a way that reflected what mattered most to them.

Assistive technology, personalised communication methods and tailored care planning further enabled people to remain in control of their care and daily lives.

The provider listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

Staff demonstrated flexibility and responsiveness by adapting care quickly following feedback or changes in need, such as increasing visit times to ensure people did not feel rushed and remained safe. This proactive approach ensured people received the right support at the right time and contributed to consistently positive outcomes.

Strong continuity of care, with people supported by small, consistent teams, meant staff knew people well and could quickly identify and respond to any changes in their condition or wellbeing.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.

Staff described feeling well supported through regular supervision, team meetings and an open-door management approach.

The service actively promoted staff wellbeing through flexible working arrangements, practical support for personal circumstances and recognition schemes. This resulted in high staff morale, strong retention and a stable workforce, which positively impacted people’s continuity of care and experience.