Apple Blossom 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 requires improvement. At this assessment the rating changed to good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

Staff treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. People spoke positively about the care they received, and we observed people being treated with dignity and respect. Family members spoke positively of the staff who worked at the service and felt they supported people with kindness. Comments included, “The staff are all lovely and approachable” and “The staff are lovely. Very caring.” During our assessment we found some bedroom windows had been covered to preserve people’s dignity. However, the product used prevented some people from seeing out of the window. We raised this and the registered manager immediately purchased and arranged for the fitting of a more suitable replacement.

The provider treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met their needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics. Staff described how they considered and respected people's religion and gender identity when planning and delivering support. One person told us, “I have been here a long time. It’s alright. The staff are nice here.” People had care plans designed around their needs. These were regularly reviewed and monitored. People were involved in the decision-making regarding redecoration of the service and were encouraged to choose décor for their bedrooms. Some people were unable to use spoken words to communicate. We observed staff using Makaton signs to assist people with their communication. Makaton is a communication programme which uses symbols (pictures), signs (gestures) and speech to enable people to communicate.

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. Staff encouraged people to make day to day choices and do as much as they could for themselves. People were supported to maintain and develop important relationships, and we observed people received visitors during our assessment. Family members told us they could visit at any time. One commented, “I like the fact that Apple Blossom Court run an ‘open house’ policy, meaning I can call in any time without prior notice. To me this indicates they have nothing to hide.”When family members were unable to visit as frequently, they told us they were kept updated about their loved one’s life and wellbeing. One family member said, “Staff will let me know what is going on. They send me newsletters and photos of [Name] going out.” People had ample opportunities to participate in activities both at home and in the community. Staff told us, “I know the residents pretty well and know their likes and dislikes. We try and get them out into the community as much as we can.” During our assessment we were aware of many activities happening. Some people attended activities with people within the service. For example, each week there was a themed activity around different countries and cultures. People were encouraged to attend local learning centres, other people frequently accessed their local community such as going to the pub and local community centre, local walks and shopping. We observed staff supporting people to try out different foods and to learn about different cultures. One person was being supported to learn a foreign language for a planned holiday and was being encouraged to develop their creative writing skills.

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. Several staff had worked closely with people for many years. A family member told us, “Staff know [Name] well. They know if they are happy, or in pain.” We observed warm and friendly interactions. Staff spoke with people in a respectful manner and were attentive to people’s requests for care. Staff demonstrated compassion when supporting people through periods of distress or confusion. For example, one person was experiencing poor health and staff responded to them promptly and demonstrated genuine compassion and sensitivity. They acted promptly and contacted the GP for medical advice.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. There were systems for staff to speak about their work through individual and team meetings. Staff told us they felt supported by the registered manager and senior care staff.