Sycamore Grove Care Home

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.

This service is dual registered, this is the first assessment for this service. This key question has been rated Good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

This service scored 85 (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, empathy and compassion and in how they respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff always treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

Staff consistently responded to people with warmth; they were attentive and compassionate and understood people needs and how they wanted their care to be provided. It was clear this made a tangible difference to people’s lives. Staff worked hard to develop positive and trusting relationships with people. They adapted their approach sensitively to each person’s emotional needs, creating a calm, reassuring environment where people felt respected and valued. Care was delivered in ways that actively promoted dignity, privacy and autonomy, enabling people to retain independence, build confidence and retain control in their daily lives.

Feedback from people, relatives and visiting health professionals was overwhelmingly positive, with many describing staff as extremely caring, attentive and kind. The home had a warm and welcoming atmosphere. People appeared happy, relaxed and comfortable in the company of staff and their surroundings. Staff cared for people with genuine affection, sensitivity and empathy.

There was a strong person centred culture, staff felt valued and supported and told us they loved working at Sycamore Grove and this was evident in the way they provided care and support to people. Relatives told us how staff had shown patience and persistence to support people and ensure their dignity and needs were met and shared with us the positive impact this had on their wellbeing and comfort. One told us, “Special mention should go to a carer [carers name] who worked closely with my relative. They have cared for them since the start and have looked after them especially well. They persevered in getting my [relative] to take regular showers and take better care of their hygiene. They always update me as to whether this has been successful.”

We observed a staff member taking the time to sit with a person in their room. This person had not been living at Sycamore Grove for very long and was feeling anxious and overwhelmed by the move. The staff member spoke to them in a calm and gentle manner; they allowed the person time to express their feelings and share their anxiety around the change of living environment. They offered reassurance and comfort ensuring the person felt validated and listened to.

Relatives confirmed this supportive network. One told us, “Personally I don’t think that I could have placed my family member in a home that surpasses the care and attention that they receive. I feel safe in the knowledge that they are being looked after to the highest standards and I would not hesitate to recommend the home to any prospective resident.”

Another relative told us they had witnessed staff providing exceptional support to a person living with dementia. “I have seen very sensitive, intelligent and well-informed interventions. I saw a carer comforting a resident. They were approaching the door to leave, the carer approached and asked if they could help. They told the staff member they needed to go home now. The carer responded that it was getting quite late and could they stay the night as their son was arriving in the morning. The resident was happy with this explanation and the carer placed their arm in the persons and said let us find your bed for the night. It was so touching and thoughtful and even recounting it makes me emotional.” This culture of kindness and compassion was embedded in everyday practice, ensuring people consistently experienced exceptional care that prioritised dignity, respect and choice.

The provider treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

People received person-centred care that was tailored to their individual needs, preferences, likes and dislikes.

Staff knew people well, including their personal histories, relationships, interests and life experiences. This helped staff to engage meaningfully with people and provide care that was tailored to them.

People were supported to maintain their religious and spiritual practices. People had access to an online church service which was streamed in the communal lounges and cinema and visits to the home by church representatives if requested.

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.

There was a strong focus on delivering care in a way that promoted people’s rights, choice and independence. People were empowered to live the lives they wanted and to take positive risks that were meaningful to them. For example, one person had always shared a love of the outdoors. Staff supported them to access a nearby walking route and they were able to complete a long hike supported by staff. They spoke animatedly about their previous experiences of hiking and hill climbing and told us they really enjoyed still being able to go out walking.

There was a varied and flexible programme of activities. Activities information was on display and people were provided with daily and weekly planners to show activities and events. People were encouraged to take part in meaningful activities and be active members of the home. There were regular visits by community groups including a children’s nursery and the local women’s institute as well as visiting pets, arts, crafts, quizzes and games. Activity staff also spent one to one support with people who did not like to participate in group activities, or who stayed in their rooms.

Management supported and encouraged the use of the homes spaces for local community nursing teams and other community groups to utilise for meetings, this meant people were able to maintain contact with the community which they told us they valued and enjoyed.

Staff supported people to engage in tasks that reflected their interests, routines and sense of purpose. People had built friendship groups and we saw people meeting up in the Bistro area for drinks and a chat. Staff told us that a group liked to meet up after dinner for a glass of wine and a game of dominoes and this was quite competitive and could go on quite late in the evening. Relatives told us, “They arranged an Elvis trip and [relatives name] absolutely loves Elvis. They were the only one on the trip, so it was them, me and my daughter and activity staff. We were so touched that it went ahead just her and it was such an emotional evening, they loved it and [staff members name] made it so special for her” And, “I have noticed my relative participates far more in group activities such as crossword puzzles, searches and quizzes than when they first arrived. This is a testament to the persuasiveness and encouragement of the entertainment staff. They now regularly watch the entertainment downstairs, where I often find them.”

Health professionals visiting the home told us “The residents consistently appear happy, well cared for, and engaged. I have not encountered any residents who have expressed dissatisfaction with their care. The activities team work hard to ensure residents remain active and stimulated through a variety of outings and activities.”

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.

Referrals were completed when people needed further support from other health professionals to ensure people’s needs were continually assessed and reviewed.

Staff knew people very well and could anticipate people’s individual needs. During observations, we saw staff engaging with people in a relaxed person-centred way, care was delivered proactively and promoted people’s comfort and dignity. Staff ensured people’s privacy was maintained at all times. Staff worked together as a team to ensure people’s needs were responded to promptly. People and relatives were full of praise and gratitude for the staff. Comments included, “They have good protocols in place to identify any changes and are quick to implement changes. More recently they picked up a concern and alerted the GP, the GP visited and treatment was planned” and “I would recommend Sycamore to anyone, a beautiful home with beautiful caring people working there. It has been an excellent experience at a very difficult time for us a family”

Communication needs were identified and supported. Staff took time to allow people to express their wishes. One relative told us, “As soon as we walked in, I knew they would love it here. They just know her so well, even though they struggle to express their needs, staff understand them. I saw them with her the other day and they just did everything how they would like it. They are quite particular but staff just understand them and make sure everything is how they would want it.”

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

Staff consistently told us they were happy working at Sycamore Grove. They shared with us how they felt supported, respected and valued. Staff spoke positively about the registered manager and management team and told us they felt able to speak to management if they had any concerns. Staff also had access to wellbeing support within the organisation. Management confirmed personal circumstances were taken into account when the rota was planned, in addition, if staff required any changes this was supported.

Staff were recognised and awarded with a nominated employee of the month and could also be nominated for the provider’s annual award. Staff told us that to support carers week a hamper was delivered for staff by the provider.

Staff were encouraged to take on ‘champion’ roles within the home. These included dementia, falls, tissue viability and dignity champions. Management told us staff taking on these roles were supported with extra training to enable them to further support staff.