Philosophy of Care

Symonds House aims to provide service users with a secure and homely environment in which their care, well being and comfort is of prime importance.

Carers will strive to preserve and maintain the dignity, individuality and privacy of all service users within a warm and caring atmosphere, and in doing so will be sensitive to the service user's ever changing needs. Such needs may be medical / therapeutic, cultural, psychological, spiritual, emotional and social, and service users are encouraged to participate in the developments of their individual care plans in which the involvement of family and friends may be appropriate and is greatly valued.

This will be achieved through programmes of activities designed to encourage mental alertness, self esteem, social interaction with other service users and with recognition of the following core values of care which are fundamental to the philosophy of our home.

CORE VALUES OF CARE

Service User's Rights

The rights of all our service users are the main priority in our philosophy of care. We will promote those rights through the care and services we provide and encourage all service user's to exercise their rights to the full.

Privacy and Dignity

We recognise the change service users face when moving into a home, to minimise the impact of those changes we will promote the philosophy of a 'family circle'. We will endeavour to retain as much privacy and dignity as possible by:

• Helping service users to personalise and equip their rooms as they wish
• By providing keys to their rooms and a secure place for their valuables.
• Giving service users the opportunity to have privacy when receiving visitors, making telephone calls or opening and reading mail.
• Securing all service user's records and information and respecting the confidentiality of those records.
• Treating each service user as an individual and a respected member of the family circle.
• Assisting service users to maintain their dignity through their personal appearance and behaviour
• Promoting activities that encourage service users to express themselves as individuals.
• Helping service users to overcome any shortcomings they may experience through age or disability.

Independence

We recognise the importance for all service users to retain their independence and the problems that group living can give. We will encourage service users to act and think as an individual by:

• Maximising the opportunities for service users self care.
• Encouraging service users to retain financial independence.
• Helping service users to take reasonable and fully assess risks.
• Ensuring service users maintain links with contacts outside the home.
• Giving all service users the opportunity to contribute to the records of their own care and to express their views on the care.

Freedom of choice

We recognise that every service user should have the opportunity to choose a home which will meet their needs and can offer the care they require. They should be given the opportunity to exercise their right of choice in all aspects of daily living. To facilitate that choice we will:

• Offer the opportunity for prospective service users can choose from and allow them to decide where and when they consume the food of their choice.
• Provide comprehensive information on the home and the quality of services and care available.
• Provide each service user with a contract of terms and conditions of residency.
• Carry out a needs assessment on each service user prior to admission.
• Demonstrate to each service user that we can meet their assessed needs.
• Continually offer a wide range of social and leisure activities.
• Avoid strict routines and maintain maximum flexibility in the daily life in the home.