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Lakeside Manor senior general manager Sindy Gartshore tells Emily Moore about the home’s recent refurbishment and plans for further enhancements to the facilities
AS any homeowner will know, it takes a certain something to transform a bricks-and-mortar property into a space which truly feels like home.
It is also one of those facts of life that no sooner is the refurbishment of one room complete, then another room immediately needs attention, making home ownership a continuous cycle of renovation and redecoration.
That can be complicated enough when redecorating a bedroom or living room at home, so imagine the additional complexities that come with refurbishing a care home, whose 66 residents all have some form of dementia.
But, as Lakeside Manor’s senior general manager Sindy Gartshore explains, that is exactly what has just happened at the St Peter property, which has recently undergone a significant upgrade of its facilities.
“Although Lakeside Manor isn’t an old building, having opened in 2012, Barchester Healthcare – which owns the home – prides itself on carrying out regular reviews of its properties and ensuring that each one offers the best environment, as well as care standards, for the residents,” she said.
As part of the group’s “rolling programme” for maintenance and upgrades, work on the lounges, dining rooms, bedrooms and hairdressing salon got under way towards the end of last year.
And while the work inevitably brought a unique set of challenges to the team, Sindy says communication was key to enhancing the facilities while minimising disruption to residents.
“That communication, which included details of the order of the work taking place and the timeframes for each project, was vital to ensure that everyone was comfortable with what was happening. It also ensured that residents received consistent information from their relatives and the team here, which helped to reduce confusion,” Sindy explained.
Also helping to maintain spirits during the disruption, said Sindy, was the fact that much of the work was undertaken in response to feedback from residents and their families.
“We hold regular customer surveys and meetings with residents’ relatives to find out whether there is anything that they feel we could do better,” she explained. “Some of that feedback highlighted that, after 14 years of constant use, some areas of the home were looking a little tired and there were some improvements we could make to make the most of the space we’ve got.”
More specifically, she continued, the work saw some reconfiguration to some of the bedrooms and bathrooms, as well as refurbishment of the lounges and dining rooms in all three of the home’s units.
“As part of this work, we have installed kitchen areas in each dining room, from which the team can serve the residents their meals,” she said. “This has created a more social environment and has led to greater communication between the residents, chefs and the kitchen team which has really boosted inclusion.”
While all the internal renovations are complete – for now – Sindy says that attention will soon switch to the grounds and external elements of the building.
“We will continue to assess the facilities and refurbish further bedrooms as part of our rolling programme, as we want a consistent offer across the manor,” she said, “but the next priority is to repaint the outside of the building and carry out some work to the roof, so that the external space looks just as good as the inside.”
To this end, Sindy added that further work was due to take place to the outdoor seating areas and sensory garden.
“We all know that being outside can boost our wellbeing, and we are keen to encourage our residents to go for walks in the grounds and spend time outside with their families when they visit,” she said.
“We have a lovely seating area on Memory Lane – one of the three units – which we are keen to develop further with some new garden furniture. In the same unit, we have a balcony where we are planning to create some raised flower beds to encourage residents to spend more time outside and to do some gardening.
“Elsewhere, the sensory garden is a beautiful spot for people to go for a walk in a nice, safe space while enjoying looking at some of the trees and shrubs.”
Having joined Lakeside Manor last April and having worked in the care sector for many years, Sindy said that the investment which Barchester made in all its properties was reflective of the wider group ethos.
“Although Barchester Healthcare is one of the largest care providers in the British Isles, the focus on doing the right thing for residents, their families and the team remains at the heart of the company, and you really do feel as though you are part of a family,” she reflected.
“As a general manager, the most important thing for me is making sure that we understand our residents’ needs and that we make any changes necessary to enable us to deliver the best possible care. Having the support of Barchester to achieve that, and to help us create that environment, means so much and has been very well received by the team.”
Indeed, the 54-strong team – which includes nurses, carers, dementia champions and kitchen, hospitality, maintenance and gardening members – have, she adds, benefited greatly from the renovations.
“While the primary focus was on improving care for the residents and enhancing their wellbeing, the changes have also enhanced working conditions for the team and created a warm and welcoming working environment,” she said. “We would invite anyone who is interested in finding out more about Lakeside Manor and how we support people living with dementia to get in touch for a chat or to arrange a visit.”
Anyone keen to arrange a tour of Lakeside Manor or to find out more about the services available is invited to contact Sindy by phoning 748050 or emailing sindy.gartshore@barchester.com.
