Aria Court

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 remained good.

This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

This service scored 80 (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 always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

People told us they were happy with the care they received. Relatives also described staff as kind and supportive. A family member said, ‘everybody is nice and friendly; they stop and talk to me’.

We observed positive interactions between staff and people using the service. Staff supported people in a respectful and unhurried way, maintaining dignity during care and daily routines. Feedback from a social care professional said people receiving care always appeared comfortable, settled and well supported.

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.

The service demonstrated a person-centred approach to care, with systems in place to support understanding of people as individuals, including their histories, preferences, communication needs and personal circumstances.

Care was personalised and reflected people’s preferences, life history and communication needs. The service used “Getting to Know Me” information to support personalised care planning. This was used to tailor activities and daily support, ensuring that care delivery was shaped around what mattered to each person.

Care also reflected people’s individual life histories and strengths. We saw examples where staff supported people to maintain a sense of purpose and identity based on their past roles, helping to promote engagement and continuity of identity within the service. In one example, this approach led to a person being supported into a role within the service that reflected their previous working life. The person was offered a letter of employment and chose to take up the role, which aligned with work they had previously enjoyed. The person told staff this made them feel valued, respected and supported, and described the experience as helping them feel “loved and well cared for”.

We also observed a range of activity sessions that were tailored to individual needs and strengths. Activities were adapted to reflect people’s abilities, interests and preferences, with staff supporting participation in ways that promoted engagement and inclusion. This included both group and one-to-one sessions designed to ensure people could take part meaningfully regardless of their level of need.

Communication support tools were in place, including communication folders and translated materials where needed. We also saw examples of written information, including a resident guide booklet, provided in a person’s preferred language to support understanding and accessibility.

Care planning was generally reflective of individual needs and preferences. Staff demonstrated awareness of people’s communication needs and personal histories and were able to describe how they used this information to guide their approach in day-to-day support.

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.The service promoted independence and supported people to make choices about their daily routines, care and activities. Staff encouraged people to do as much as they were able for themselves, providing calm and appropriate support where needed.

We observed people being supported in ways that promoted independence, including during personal care, with staff respecting people’s pace and preferences. Support was adapted to reflect individual routines and choices.

A wide range of engagement resources supported independence and meaningful activity, including reminiscence and cognitive stimulation tools tailored to people’s interests and life history. Community involvement was strong and included intergenerational activities, gardening and wildlife projects, supporting participation, inclusion and positive wellbeing outcomes.

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.

The service demonstrated systems and staff awareness to support timely responses to people’s immediate needs.

We observed staff providing timely support with personal care, nutrition, mobility and reassurance.

Pain was monitored appropriately, and staff described prioritising non‑pharmacological approaches where possible to reduce distress and reliance on medicines.

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

The service had systems in place to support staff wellbeing, supervision and professional development. Staff told us they felt supported in their roles and described management as accessible and approachable when guidance or support was needed.

Staff reported positive morale and described an open culture within the service. They indicated that they felt able to raise concerns and seek support when required, and that communication with senior staff was effective and responsive.

The provider also promoted staff engagement and morale through informal wellbeing initiatives, including recognition events such as International Dance Day activities, which supported team engagement and a positive working environment.

Senior leaders also visited the service regularly and were reported to take time to engage with staff informally, including sharing breakfast with staff during visits. Staff described this as contributing to visibility of leadership and supporting a more open and approachable culture.