Archived: The Elms Care Centre

They told us that they could choose how they spent their day and felt able to make choices about their lives. One person told us 'Its better here now'.

Another person told us 'I have visitors and the church service, any problems, I can talk to the staff'.

A visitor told us 'things are looking up here'.

People who were able told us that, if they wanted to complain, they felt able to speak to any of the staff or the manager and they told us they were confident of the appropriate response and action.

People told us that they sometimes had to wait when they used the call bell to summon assistance. They told us that staff were always busy and that they were often told, 'hang on and we will come back' and 'won't be a minute'.

People told us that,

'You can stay in your room or you can go down and you can get up and go back to bed when you want'.

'The staff are very nice but very busy'.

'They help me when I need it but leave me to be independent where I can'

'I have no involvement with my care plan'

'I watch TV, there are sometimes activities, have been out on trips, the food is nice , staff are too busy to come and chat'.

'It is nice food, there is a choice'.

'I don't know what is for lunch.' When asked what if you don't like what is served and one person told us that it was 'Tough luck'.

People also told us that,

'Sometimes there is not enough staff and you have to wait, the usual staff response is that you are not the only person here there are 35 others'

'I could complain but I don't have to'

'The staff are very nice but very busy'

'Not enough staff, if you buzz they come eventually'

'We are looked after ok'

One person said that they 'I like to get up and bathe early but this doesn't always happen I am left hanging around as there are not enough staff'.

Another person said,

'They put me on a commode but I am there for ages because there is no staff to take you off, you can't have a staff member wait to take you off again they are off doing something else'.

'Food excellent, staff kind, no complaints, they look after me well'.

People told us that they were happy with their rooms and with the environment of the home in general.