Independence is so important and it is something we all crave as we grow older. Despite this, the UK’s ageing population is reporting higher numbers of loneliness and isolation, and this can have an impact on one’s health. Older people often choose to move into our residential care homes as they struggle to cope with living alone. Making the decision to move into residential care, means you can relax and enjoy life without the stress and have others to support you with day-to-day activities. As well as this, our homes are always bustling, so companionship is never far away.
Before coming to live with us in our homes, we ask each resident to complete an ‘About Me’ booklet as well as a ’10 Things About Me’ document that allows our staff to help get to know them as they settle in. Getting to know each resident as an individual is very important to us. We pride ourselves on person-centred care and getting to know someone’s likes and dislikes is a big part of that process. We encourage residents to continue the hobbies they love, and the community within our homes is always thriving. With cafes, dining rooms, cinema rooms and varying clubs to be a part of, you’ll never feel bored in an Athena residential care facility.
We understand that independence should always be respected, however, if your loved one should ever need help, our kind care teams are available 24/7 to provide support and reassurance in a respectful, discreet and dignified way. You can rest easy knowing that our residential care services will always be available to them if they should ever need assistance.
After deciding to move into one of our residential care homes, you can take comfort in knowing that your loved one will always be safe. Our homes are situated in quiet, tucked away locations and our staff are readily available to help. We work closely with a multidisciplinary team of doctors, community nurses, social workers, dietitians, physiotherapists and other health professionals to build the ideal support structure for our residents. Making them feel as at home as possible is what we try our best to achieve. Our staff always do their very best to settle residents in. Creating a space that feels like home is encouraged. Our maintenance teams will help new residents move in their favourite furniture pieces, cover walls with framed photographs and memories, and install televisions or computers. Whatever makes our residents feel comfortable, we’ll do our best to accommodate at our residential care homes.
The reception areas in all of our residential care homes are open to all, and everyone is welcome to chat. The cafe areas within our receptions always have fresh coffee, tea and a selection of cakes available. You’ll often see friends, residents, and community members mingling away. We even allow pets to visit – they’re part of the family after all!
We are fully engaged with our local communities, and try to create a buzz inside our residential care homes. We often hold whole-home barbecues in the summer and festive activities inside in the winter. Connecting through our communities opens up opportunities for our residents to meet new friends and go on new adventures. But for those who would prefer to stay home, we house a range of beautifully designed facilities, including libraries, activities suites, state-of-the-art hairdressers, cinema rooms, colourful gardens with vegetable patches and much more.
