Visitors

Castlehead strives to provide a homely and friendly environment within which residents and their family and friends feel welcomed and relaxed. We make no restriction on who may visit or when they visit, providing the resident being visited wishes to see them. Family/friends/representatives are able to visit residents in surroundings such as the lounge, conservatory or the resident's own room depending on the degree of privacy that they or the resident requires. We are happy to assist those residents with restricted mobility, to move from one area to another so that they can speak to their visitors in privacy. We are happy to guarantee total privacy for intimate visits when resident and partner require it.

Your Health

All Residents receive health and personal care based on their individual needs. At Castlehead every Resident is treated with respect, their dignity is preserved at all times and their right to privacy is always observed. Our Staff are trained and qualified so they are fully aware of the needs of Residents and able to supply and meet those needs in all areas of care. Assistance is always available from care staff and nursing to help our Residents who experience difficulty due to incapacity. Whilst Castlehead is staffed by qualified nursing staff twenty four hours per day every day, assistance from other health professionals is also available.

General Practitioner
	Our Residents may remain with their own Doctor (GP) provided he or she is willing to travel to Castleahead (however distance may make it impossible to maintain an adequate service). We will contact your GP on your admission to ascertain their continued involvement. We will assist you in registering with a local Doctor of your choice should this be necessary.

Chiropodist
	A registered chiropodist visits Castlehead at regular intervals to give foot and nail care to all Residents. Should you have any problems between visits, an individual appointment can be made. If you have your own chiropodist, they are welcome to visit you at your request.

Optician
	It is recommended that your eyes be tested annually. A qualified optician visits Castlehead by appointment and should you wish to see the optician, arrangements can easily be made. Should you have your own optician he/she may visit you at Castlehead or alternatively you may visit the optician's own premises.

Privacy and Dignity

Privacy and dignity is the foundation of Castlehead philosophy of care and every member of staff is made aware of this during their induction. Staff are instructed to give particular regard to a Resident's privacy, dignity and respect at times when interacting/assisting individuals such as when socialising with relatives or friends, on entering a Resident's room, when they are toileting or bathing and after death. On admittance Residents are asked how they wish to be addressed and all staff and other Residents are informed of the new Resident's wishes. Residents always wear their own clothes and the choice of which garments worn is theirs. Medical examinations and any treatments necessary always take place within the privacy of a Resident's room. Where a Resident shares a room, privacy is still maintained either by carrying out what is necessary when the other occupant of the room is absent or by the use of screening. All Residents have access to a telephone in privacy if they wish it and their mail is given to them unopened unless they request otherwise.

Privacy and dignity is afforded when

• We demonstrated respect by acknowledging each resident as an individual such as acknowledging their role as a mother/father, by calling them by their preferred name and by offering choices and recognising preferences. • We obtain consent before we give treatment or care. • We protect confidential information and do not divulge it without our residents' consent. • We are trustworthy. • We work as a team. Co-operating with others for the benefit of our residents. • We act to identify and minimise risk to our residents. • We are committed to maintaining our knowledge and competence. Examples of the affording privacy and dignity are such as staff being aware of the boundaries of confidentiality, staff assisting residents to entertain their visitors in quiet/unoccupied rooms, the use of curtains/screens when residents are undressing, staff knocking on doors before entering residents’ rooms.

Terminal Care
	Where a Resident requires total care, when rehabilitation and recovery are no longer achievable, care is given to ensuring the individual is free from any pain and discomfort. Their dignity is maintained and their needs and wishes and those of their relatives and friends are treated with propriety and are fulfilled. This enables those mourning to begin a healthy bereavement process.

You’re Home From Home

We encourage a full and active lifestyle wherever possible, but above all each resident is an individual and is encouraged to exercise choice in all aspects of their care. We want residents to feel very much at home, with rules and regulations kept to a minimum. There are several lounges where you can relax and take advantage of our range of facilities. There are three sitting areas within the care home, including a designated smoking room, a dining area and two sitting areas to provide central meeting areas, watch television and to entertain guests. Our large garden provides a tranquil setting towards the rear of the home for you to benefit from. We also provide a wide variety of rooms to meet your individual needs. They consist of single rooms and single rooms with en-suit facilities, along with double rooms that can be shared amongst couples who wish to remain with each other. Our Jacuzzi has become a popular addition to our home due to its therapeutic and soothing effects. Whether shared or single, your room is yours to feel comfortable and relaxed in. Please personalise your room with items precious to you, such as furniture, pictures and ornaments. We will be happy to assist you by fitting picture hooks, shelves etc. All of the bedrooms are tastefully decorated and fitted with a nurse-call system, which, when pulled, will alert care staff that you require assistance. You may use the call system for whatever reason, for example to go to the toilet, to ask for a drink, to be helped in adjusting your position so that you are more comfortable.

Cuisines Served

Meals are prepared each day by our chefs, using fresh ingredients. There is always a varied menu offering an interesting and nutritious diet. They are experienced in catering for special dietary requirements, and residents' requests are always welcome. Meals are usually taken in the dining room, but residents may choose to eat in their rooms if they rather do so. The following pages illustrate the types of food we prepare for our meals at the home.

Social Activities

We find a consistent level of stimulation to be paramount in the resident’s daily life. Therefore our dedicated activities coordinator provides several programs to keep the residents motivated. Resident’s take great pleasure with the personal attention they receive from our activities coordinator which has become increasingly invaluable to us. A selection of daily newspapers are delivered to Castlehead for the use of all Residents. Should you require your own personal newspaper or a magazine the Home can make arrangements for them to be delivered. The main lounge is equipped with a large television and video-cassette recorder and in most Resident' s rooms there is a portable television operated by remote control. There is a selection of board games available for Residents' use, and staff are allocated to organise such activities each afternoon.

Nursing Practice
	With current nursing practice legislation, each resident has a named nurse and a key worker who is totally involved in the care of the individual. Our first level nurses are experienced in the care of the elderly and hold the appropriate qualifications to effectively manage the problems brought about by their frailty. These nurses are well supported by experienced care assistants.