Care Homes in Poole: Finding Somewhere That Feels Like Home

The decision usually starts before anyone says it out loud

By the time families are looking for a care home in Poole, things haven’t just come to a crisis point. Something will have happened. Mam has had another fall, Dad has forgotten to take his tablets, or the person who used to cope so well at home can’t wash, dress, eat, climb the stairs, go shopping or be left on his own any more. And then, the horrible bit realising that maybe you just aren’t that much good as a daughter, son, wife or husband. Whichever way you look, you feel guilty. That’s the fog most families are in.

You notice the little things when you visit

In my opinion, you can get more from 5 minutes in a care home than 20 pages from a website, just listen as you walk in. Is the place quiet because everyone is being cared for or quiet because no one is actually talking? Does the staff members eyes meet the residents when they speak? Does anyone stop for a second when a residents clearly distressed or do they just carry straight passed? What does it smell like, sound like, feel like? (If you’ve sat in a visiting room that felt far more like a lounge, you already know exactly what I‘m talking about.) Those things sound insignificant until it’s your mum sitting there.

Person-centred care has to mean something

The phrase ‘person-centred’ is one of those that can sound nice on a leaflet and become meaningless in practice. At Kanesbury Care it is very simply a lot more normal and a lot more vital. It is knowing that they always had their tea at 3.30 (and not five because the rota told you to). It is knowing that they liked to work in the garden, that they enjoyed classic films, that they hated a noisy dining room or would have liked somebody around on Sunday afternoons. The care needs to be tailored to the person and not vice versa.

Six homes, six different personalities

Kanesbury is not a national chain that for one feel you could be anywhere in England. Its six homes in Bournemouth and Poole have their own setting and personality, eachone developing over 25 years of care. Eagles Mount looks out over the waters of Poole Harbour and is next door to Colin’s Nest Coffee Shop. Seabourne House is near the popular beach resorts of Southbourne. Branksome Park Care Centre is in the leafy surrounds of Branksome Park and has specialist knowledge of providing support to people with complex neurological conditions. Such differences have significance because families are not simply choosing a postcode. They are wishing for somewhere to feel right for a specific person.

Look beyond the room and ask about the people

A well decorated bedroom is nice, of course it is, but it’s not what makes people feel safe. Watch the staff. Are they patient when someone takes a while to answer back? Do they address people or do they speak over residents? Does the team understand what may be behind a change in behavior or do they see a difficult period? Good dementia care in Poole really is predicated on consistency, patience and staff members who know the residents they care for. A shiny building can’t do that.

What happens when care needs change?

The question most people forget at the first visit is: what if Mum needs a lot more care in two years time? Residential, nursing and specialty care all sound foreign and scary the first time you hear the terms more so when you are anxious not to make the wrong decision. Kanesbery’s “Home for Life” promise is really important here it’s about eradicating a second upheaval and falling back into the unknown if someone does have to increase their level of care. Why put yourself through it all again?

Sometimes you need care before you need permanent care

Not every family is in a position to think about the rest of their lives. Some require short term accommodation for a partner who needs a safe haven to escape to or when the carer needs a thoroughly deserved holiday. When a family is experiencing a spell, surgery or an unplanned crisis the true depths of resourcefulness of respite care Bournemouth families miss suddenly become clear. It‘s not about quitting, it‘s about surviving a rough stretch and carrying on, and when the refuge provided seems like home rather than a short term arrangement the impact is profound.

The move itself can be the hardest part

Even with everybody in agreement the move can be heartbreaking. You’re filling boxes with somebody‘s furniture and wondering if you are leaving too much behind, if they will miss their old home, if they will realize they have been abandoned. The “Journey to Care” process at Kanesbury is focused on that transition and offers a family a clearly defined path from the initial meeting to settling in. It also involves free room redecoration in a colour of their choosing, arranged before their arrival. It might seem insignificant. It isn‘t really.

Families need looking after too

The caring doesn’t end when the person moves in. The son who’s 20 minutes down the road still fears for them. The daughter living abroad is desperate for news. Men are suddenly having to go to their wives in new and unfamiliar ways after years of doing everything the same way. Having a family liaison is such a relief - someone to call, someone who understands, someone who doesn’t make you feel as though you’re being a pain when you ask for the latest update. Kanesbury also runs quarterly Dr. Gemma Jones Method workshops for families providing much needed practical support around dementia and complex care rather than leaving people to muddle through for themselves.

Twenty-five years tells you something

Kanesbury Care used to be LuxuryCare, and the renaming hasn‘t wiped out all that went before. There is a link in the staff, the experience and the attitude over 25 years. That counts. People don‘t trust only because someone puts the word ’ luxury’ on the gate. They do trust when every day, the same care is given. When staff know residents properly, when families feel listened to when something‘s worrying them. You can see it in the small things - a cup of tea, an everyday chat, someone taking the time to sit with a resident instead of moving on.

The best care home may not be the one you expected

Most families start with a checklist. En suite bathroom, garden, activities, location, price, room size all very sensible. However, after a few visits, the checklist morphs into something different because you find you are in fact simply asking quite a lot less: would I honestly want to leave somebody I love here? Would Mum feel talked to softly on a difficult morning? Would Dad remain who he was today if his needs became a little more complicated? Would I be comfortable walking through the door on a Sunday afternoon? This is exactly what sets the best care homes Bournemouth and Poole has apart. Its people, not its furniture.

Go and see it for yourself

If you are considering residential care Poole Dorset, dementia, nursing care, neurological care, day care, respite, don‘t try and make your decision based on a website alone. Go. Visit. Sit down. Have some of those difficult conversations. Watch the interactions of staff when they think no one is looking. Kanesbury Care‘s six Homes all have different atmospheres, but after 25 years covering the Bournemouth and Poole area, that is a feeling that families can really be reassured by when they step over the threshold. If you are beginning to have the ‘its time to make a change’ conversations but unsure where to take it next, begin the process by having a chat. Visit kanesburycare.co.uk, make an enquiry or book a visit. You don‘t have to have any answers yet just have somewhere to start.

Questions families actually ask

What should I look for when visiting care homes in Poole?

Observe the individuals preceding the amenities and note whether the staff direct conversations to the residents. Is there familiarity amongst people and do residents appear relaxed within their surroundings? Is the environment homely instead of hospital-like? Ask how the home manages risks when care needs alter, dementia and the effect on patients and families.

Is Kanesbury suitable for dementia care in Poole?

Kanesbury offers different types of care, including dementia, residential, nursing, neurological, respite, day and palliative care. it‘s everything about being open and honest with the enquiry about what sort of home and support they need.

What if my parent needs more care later?

Kanesbury‘s ‘Home for Life’ commitment aims to reassure families that residents can stay in the same place as their needs increase, instead of being moved again.

Can I arrange respite care before deciding on permanent care?

Yes, it can allow families a short break and break in those situations where a choice of permanent care has not yet been made. Yes, it enables someone to “try out” care without an immediate decision to move in permanently or to a care home.