Abelands

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, 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 treated people as if they were friends or family. While staff understood professional boundaries they told us they had genuine affection for the people they supported. A staff member told us, “I interact with all the guys, if I have a few minutes free, I will take [person] out for a drive. I class [people here] as my second family. Here we all care about the guys.” Support plans included information about the things people liked and disliked and had information on triggers and how to calm people if they became distressed. Staff knew people extremely well and we saw how they used friendly, calm conversation to reduce the risk of triggering distressed behaviour. The registered manager told us how knowledge of people and the staff’s caring attitudes had reduced the incidence of distressed behaviours almost completely. Many people at the home had moved after other homes could no longer accommodate them, and Abelands was able to change their lives. A relative told us, “[Person] is 100% definitely happy, there are no problems on that side. I think [staff] are brilliant at everything, there is a lot of effort going into all aspects of his life as an adult.”

Another relative said, “[Person] is as happy as he ever could be, he likes Abelands House, when we moved to Scotland we told him of our plans and he could have come with us, but he chooses to stay, it was his choice. I think that says a lot and it is the best place for him, there is no other place.”

The provider treated people as individuals and was exceptional in how they made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. The provider took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.
Staff knew people and their families extremely well and understood what made each person unique. Support plans and activities were tailored to individuals, considering their backgrounds, interests, needs and preferences. Staff knew people well without needing to refer to their notes, and understood which conversation subjects were to be avoided to minimise distress for each person. For example one person had asked to be referred to by a different name. Staff were happy to do this and ensured visitors were aware of how this person wished to be addressed. This made the person feel listened to and special. Staff knowledge and treatment of people as individuals kept the home a fun and friendly place to live. We saw happy people laughing and chatting with staff throughout the day. People said they were happy at Abelands. They told us things they liked to do and foods they enjoyed and how staff supported them to do what they wished.
People were frequently supported to leave the home to take part in specific activities they liked. Staff encouraged people to participate in activities they enjoyed, and the registered manager acted as an advocate for them, especially when their desires couldn't be met. For example, the registered manager collaborated with a local college to help a person attend classes, and when that wasn't possible, they provided support to help the person cope with their disappointment.
Family members commended the staff for their compassionate and personalised support. One relative emphasised the importance of treating people as individuals, “The staff are good and they relate, people like [my relative] have a personality and an individuality. Which is one of the key things you want, you just want them to be treated as a human being. It's not what I would call a regimented structure, I mean that positively, it works.”
 

The provider was exceptional at promoting people’s independence, so people had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.
Staff supported people to have choice in all aspects of their lives. When people needed support to understand decisions or consequences, staff assisted people to make their own decisions using simple language and social stories. Staff listened to people and did not dismiss their suggestions about how their care could be provided. We saw evidence to show people had been supported by staff to change their lifestyle to improve their health, and the positive effects of this. Staff treated people with dignity, as adults, assuming mental capacity, and assisting them to plan their days using simple language and support as needed. A healthcare professional told us, “[Staff] show a genuine willingness to explore different approaches to care delivery, particularly in attempting to reduce restrictions within individuals’ daily lived experiences. There is a clear focus on promoting autonomy and independence in line with each person’s abilities, which is highly valued.”
People at the home chose the colours of their rooms and helped to decide on the use of communal areas.
People had asked to be involved in the appointment of new staff, and because they found formal interview processes difficult, the registered manager had modified the process to allow people to have input. When new staff were interviewed, they spent time in the home and people were able to give feedback to the registered manager about them.
Relatives told us the home treated people as adults and encouraged choice and control of their own lives. A relative told us, “They are trying to make [person] more independent, I can see that is the case, when he comes home he does not leave it to me to clear up after him, which is good. So, he has definitely come on.”
 

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.
People at the home had complex needs and most people had one to one care support. Some people needed two to one care. There were always ample staff to support people. People did not wait for support when they needed it. We saw people choosing what they would do each day and staff supporting them with that. Staff told us they wanted to ensure people could live their lives to the full. People’s distress was greatly reduced by the personalised care provided by staff. A relative told us, “[Person] does not communicate [verbally], but he does get his message over. If he wants help, he simply walks up to a person and grabs them and so far that has worked.”
 

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff, and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.
Staff we spoke to were very happy working at Abelands. They told us they found supporting people fulfilling. Risks to staff were minimised and managed by senior staff that worked with them, and the people they supported so they understood staff needs. A member of staff told us, “We are completely 100% supported. All the seniors are very approachable and they always listen.” Staff had appropriate training and were confident to ask if they further training. Senior staff carried out supervisions and appraisals for staff.
Staff had a competency booklet, used after training was completed, to check the training had been learned successfully.