At Harbour Care Centre, we believe that providing exceptional care requires a true partnership with our residents and their families. Moving a loved one into care is a significant life transition, and we understand that maintaining an open, honest dialogue is essential for creating a comfortable and dignified environment.
Recently, we invited the families of our residents to share their candid feedback during a series of open meetings. We are incredibly grateful for the honesty, passion, and constructive ideas that were shared with us. We listened closely, and more importantly, we are taking action. Hudson Healthcare is committed to listening and responding to all our stakeholders, to continuously improve our care services and the experiences families have of our homes, via organised dialogue and feedback.
Here are some of the suggestions that we are currently pursuing and the direct steps Harbour Care Centre is taking to respond to your needs.
Enhancing Our Living Spaces
Creating a warm, welcoming, and safe physical environment is the foundation of a good care home. Based on your insights, Harbour Care Centre is actively upgrading our communal dining and lounge areas. We have recently finished redecorating and re-flooring our downstairs Willow suite and remain committed to looking at simple measures that make life more pleasant for families and their loved ones.
Families identified a specific need for increased visitor seating in the lounge. In response, we have ordered folding chairs to comfortably accommodate visiting families. We also conducted an audit of our current furniture, removing any unsuitable chairs from circulation. To replace them, we are sourcing appropriate, comfortable seating along with easy-to-clean support pillows for our residents.
The dining room atmosphere was another important topic. Families noted that the dining environment can sometimes be noisy and uncomfortably warm. We hear you. Harbour Care Centre is investigating practical noise reduction measures for the dining area and pursuing the installation of a dedicated air conditioning system to keep the space comfortable year-round. Additionally, we will adapt our dining room seating layouts to suit residents’ preferences and social circles, rather than maintaining a rigid arrangement.
We have also committed to reviewing the condition of the garden decking so our residents, especially those from our dementia care Willow suite, can enjoy the shade that it affords to the rear of our home.
Elevating the Culinary Experience
Food is one of life’s greatest daily joys, and we understand that our culinary offerings must meet the expectations of our families. Harbour Care Centre is fully committed to providing consistent and varied meal options that residents look forward to.
Families expressed a strong desire for increased variety, especially more fresh vegetables, diverse fish dishes, and improved evening meal options. Our kitchen team is taking note. Harbour Care Centre will introduce dishes from various cuisines, including a special monthly themed international meal to broaden our culinary offerings.
To give residents more control over their evening dining, we will implement an evening option card for advance dinner selection.
Families also pointed out that our published menu images should accurately reflect the meals served. Harbour Care Centre will update all menus with realistic, appealing photographs of our freshly plated dishes.
We also addressed the dining service itself. Families observed instances of significant food waste and plates served overly hot. To address this, we will review portion sizes to align with individual appetites, thereby reducing waste while ensuring everyone receives exactly what they need. Additionally, we will ensure that main courses and desserts are served separately, allowing residents to enjoy their meals at a relaxed pace.
Fostering Meaningful Engagement
A fulfilling day involves more than just physical care; it’s about mental stimulation, joy, and purpose. Harbour Care Centre recognizes the immense importance of daily, meaningful engagement for all our residents.
During the meetings, families requested more one-on-one time and gentle daily exercise for their loved ones. We completely agree. Harbour Care Centre will introduce more frequent daily movement sessions, including beneficial chair-based exercises.
However, engagement shouldn’t be limited to scheduled activity hours. We are actively encouraging all care staff to integrate purposeful engagement and social interaction into their daily care routines. To support this, we will explore low-cost, highly meaningful activities for our lounges, such as games and tactile fidget boards in our dementia suites, ensuring there is consistent engagement throughout the day. We will also encourage residents to become more involved with daily tasks should they wish to, such as polishing, hoovering and tidying.