Some people living here could not give us information directly as they have communication difficulties. Those who could speak with us told us that the 'staff and owner are lovely'. One person said 'they allow me to be as independent as I can be, they never wake me to get up ' we get up when we like ' and I am surprised at how few rules there are'.One person told us that staff are very kind to one person who gets confused. Another person told us that they are not allowed to go outside the front door without a member of staff. We found that the door is kept locked to prevent this person from leaving on their own because they would not be safe to do. There were no records showing how this decision was made.
It was unclear how people who cannot communicate easily, for example people with confusion, are involved in their care or in decisions made about them as records are not kept in relation to decisions made, or these records are out of date. One person told us that living here is 'like being in a second childhood, being told what to do'.
People with communication difficulties are not fully protected from abuse. This is because staff do not have a good understanding of behaviours associated with dementia and how to manage these. Lessons have not been learnt from a previous incident and locally agreed policies put in place to protect people from abuse, would not be followed if abuse were suspected.