A Nairn nursing home described by one elderly resident as “like a five star hotel” has earned glowing praise from an industry watchdog.
Bruach House Care Home in Nairn. Picture: Google
Bruach House care home service received the Care Inspectorate’s second highest accolade for the way it supported people’s well-being and for the quality of the setting.
The 21-bedroom Seabank Road facility, which was caring for 22 older adults at the time of the unannounced January 5 and 7 visit this year, is housed in a Victorian-era building with “pleasant” garden spaces.
Operated by Carolton Care Ltd, inspectors highlighted its “longstanding, experienced and stable” staff team as well as the home’s warm and homely atmosphere.
They praised how staff had built good relationships with people and their families and friends.
Also commended was the variety of activities available through the week for residents, as well as the “pleasant, clean and very well-maintained” living environment.
The report stated: “We found significant strengths in aspects of care provided and how these supported positive outcomes for people.
“We saw kind and caring interactions between staff and the people they support. Staff clearly knew people very well and had built positive professional relationships with them.
“Staff were attentive to people’s needs and were able to provide comfort and reassurance effectively because of this.”
Medication within the home was well-managed and healthcare assessments were recorded and updated regularly, with any concerns prompting swift action and with professional guidance sought where necessary.
The report stressed: “This meant people’s health benefitted from responsive care, and from receiving medical attention at the right time.
“Visiting health professionals were very confident in the service’s ability to follow professional guidance and advice, and spoke positively of the staff’s knowledge of the people they support and the quality of care they observed during visits.”
Meals prepared on-site were attentive to people’s dietary preferences, with alternative dishes offered to suit tastes.
Some people were encouraged to help with meal preparation and “enjoyed maintaining these skills and contributing to mealtimes”.
An activities co-ordinator was seen to deliver programmes people were fond of that benefitted mental and physical health.
The report said: “People living at Bruach House told us: ‘It’s like a five star hotel, the food is excellent … and the care, that’s most important’.”
Praise for the setting was similarly effusive, with the report stating: “Bruach House had a warm and homely atmosphere, and had been tastefully decorated.
“Both communal areas, and bedrooms benefitted from lots of natural light, and several bedrooms had French doors providing direct access to the garden area.
“People had been involved in choosing how to improve the environment, and his included additions such as a fish tank and high raised planters outside to support people who enjoyed gardening.”
Indoor facilities included games tables, an interactive touchscreen tablet a Wi-Fi connectivity throughout the building.
It added: “People’s bedrooms were spacious and decorated to their tastes, people were encouraged to personalise their bedrooms and told us that staff were respectful of their personal possessions.
“The environment was very clean and fresh. Routine maintenance was carried out promptly, and recent upgrades had been made to the building.
“The service has continued to evaluate how it could improve the environment.”
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