Making the decision to move into care, or to move a loved one into care, is never easy.

After research, visits and potentially some short stays you might have found the home that just feels right. And for many, Ashton Manor is the perfect fit.

Here’s what to expect during your first month staying with us.

Week 1 – Settling in

You’ll be warmly greeted on your moving day by key care providers from the Ashton Manor team. You might even recognise some of their friendly faces from visits to the home prior to moving in.

We’ll spend a few hours helping you move into your room and explain the safety features, such as how to call for assistance. After the ‘formalities’, you’re free to relax with a drink of whatever you fancy and some snacks, which will make you feel instantly at home.

Your first week is the perfect time to get settled and make your room feel more homely. We love to get to know our residents, so to help us get to you know better we’ve started a memory box project on the Dementia floor. The memory boxes are filled with small personal tokens from your life, a brilliant conversation starter to help you get to know other residents and the care team.

Our Registered Manager, Graham, explains how the boxes help build relationships…

“It’s lovely when you watch people learning new things about each other. You can watch new relationships unfold because of a shared interest or life experience.”

Week 2 – Meeting other residents

Though the memory boxes make great talking pieces, we want to help you form lasting bonds with other residents and the staff. The pandemic has made things a little trickier, as it’s still required under current guidelines for new residents to isolate for 14 days. However, we never confine anyone to their rooms. Isolating residents can visit the garden on warmer days and we’ll always ensure they are socially distanced from others.

“We want everyone to feel like they have freedom, so can also offer one on one walks outside of the home should this be requested, while following social distancing rules,” explains Graham.

Once the isolation time has come to an end, there’s plenty of quiet spaces to meet others. Ashton Manor has been designed to have small communal spots, which invite cosy conversations and can be less intimidating than heading into large spaces as a new resident.

Week 3 – Discovering activities

After your second week, you’ll be familiar with all the team and have a better understanding about what life is like here at Ashton Manor, and there’s rarely a dull moment! We have a Lifestyle Coordinator on hand with daily activities, films and even Sunday service. There really is something for everyone, whether it’s a games afternoon, armchair dancing or bingo, you’ll find something you love taking parting in.

And if you don’t fancy the activity that’s on offer that day, there’s always tea and cake available – which suits everyone!

We’ve got a library, cinema room, a hairdresser and nail bar on site, so you’re free to pick and choose what you want to do and when.

The same goes for what you eat. Our Head Chef, Paul, develops his menu around our residents’ tastes and mixes it up so the menu never gets boring. We listen to everyone, find out what they’re after and make it happen.

Week 4 – In the swing of things

After living here for a month, our residents are settled and enjoying everything that Ashton Manor has to offer. Those living with Dementia may talk about “going home” in the early days, however this gets mentioned less as they get used to their new surroundings.

You will have formed relationships with other residents and bonds with the care team, it’s a truly lovely environment! As Graham puts it…

“It’s easy to quickly build relationships here, the teams and residents are brilliant at making everyone feel welcome.”

We’re also here to help you stay connected with your loved ones, we can set up video calls, telephone chats and window visits through the pandemic. Under the new government guidelines, we are allowing 2 named visitors into the home for family visits, while ensuring measures are in place to make sure those coming into the home are healthy.

Many of our short-stay respite residents love staying here so much, they often end up moving in full time. We carefully consider everyone’s individual needs and, in the process, provide person-centered care to the highest level.

 

You can find out more by making an enquiry, and our friendly team can help you with any further questions.