Grove Court is a purpose-built residential and nursing home in Woodbridge. The home is part of the not-for-profit care organisation Elizabeth Finn Homes Group and provides 24-hour personal care, nursing care and end of life care for 61 residents.
Having been located at the Woodbridge site for 20 years, Grove Court has become a strong part of the community in Woodbridge and has connections with local churches, GPs and other services. Its high quality of care and excellent service have earned it an ‘Outstanding’ rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Residents at Grove Court need support from the home for a range of reasons and each individual has hugely varied needs and wants. According to general manager Helen Jones, having such a large and varied group of residents requires a large and varied team to ensure that they receive the highest quality care possible.
The helpful team at Grove Court includes registered nurses and carers – many of whom have worked at Grove Court for ten years or more – as well as staff working in housekeeping, maintenance, social events, catering, gardening and more.
“It’s all the staff that you would need in order to support older people with a wide range of needs,” says Helen. “From people that require support in every aspect of their daily living, to people who are still relatively independent but want to live in a social setting.
“The focus in care homes and nursing homes now is very much on person-centred care; getting to know people’s preferences and the ways they like to do things. Treating them like an individual and respecting their dignity.”
No matter the role someone at Grove Court has, all the team members get to know the residents and their individual quirks and preferences. Although the team is larger than some, all staff work together to assess and cater to each resident’s personal aspirations.
As general manager, Helen is particularly keen to provide pathways for team members to build and refine their skills to gain confidence in their role.
Grove Court is part of the National Apprenticeship Scheme, funding apprenticeships for staff, not only in health and social care, but also in other areas. “We are currently sponsoring an apprenticeship for our gardener at the Beth Chatto Gardens in Essex and we have put some of our kitchen staff through various apprenticeships in hospitality,” says Helen.
“I would say for people coming in to care not just to think it’s all about the care roles. Everybody working in the home is caring for our residents regardless of their job title and there are opportunities to progress.”
Another area in which Grove Court has bolstered the potential of its team members is in offering new starters the chance to build their confidence in a care home setting, and to train in areas they may not have felt comfortable working in had they not gained first-hand experience.
“We have really built the aspirations of a number of people who’ve entered on the care side and have then gone on to be trained nurses, because they’ve had that exposure and have worked alongside nurses at Grove Court,” says Helen.
“Being in an environment where you get inspired by working alongside other people is something that a care home, particularly a care home of this size, can offer.”
“There are so many ways that you can go,” Helen concludes, “and at the centre of it all what is most rewarding is that you’re working with interesting people who’ve lived great lives. They're great to work with, they’ve got stories to share and they’re very grateful for the support that we offer them.”
Grove Court is encouraging people who are keen to dive in to a career in care to get in touch. To find out more about opportunities call 01394 466 500 or email helen.jones@efhl.co.uk or enquiries.grovecourt@efhl.co.uk
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