Residents Guide
On behalf of the team at Lindemann Healthcare Care Homes, we would like to extend a warm welcome to you.
We recognise that coming into a care home can be a difficult and stressful time for you and your family. We will do everything we can to make your arrival welcoming, and we aim to help you settle into your new home as smoothly as possible.
This guide provides you with lots of information about the home but should you have any concerns or queries please do not hesitate to contact anyone in the team, at any time.
You can contact our Management Team as below:
- Lorimer House: 0131 442 2123
- Thorburn Manor: 0131 441 6984
- Director of Care Services: 0131 441 6984
Managing Director can be reached via:
- thorburn@lindemann.healthcare
- lorimer@lindemann.healthcare
- morningside@lindemann.healthcare
Please feel free to ask questions at any time.
For further information about Lindemann Healthcare please ask the Home Manager or visit our website www.lindemann.healthcare.
Head Office
Lindemann Healthcare
29 York Place Edinburgh
Edinburgh
EH1 3HP
We believe that individuality should be the main basis of the care given within our Edinburgh Care Homes.
In a nursing environment great attention is paid to activities of daily living. Each resident is assessed following admission as to what his or her individualised care should be. This allows care plans to be constructed to meet his or her specific needs.
We aim to provide a homely atmosphere where the residents are cared for with dignity and respect. This will allow each resident to function at their optimum level, feel content and “at home”.
We offer every resident the opportunity to participate in their care to a level that they choose.
We believe that our nursing homes should be a therapeutic yet homelike environment where the resident can feel their individual needs are met with priority.
Our Aims
Catering for older people, the main basis of the care service, Lindemann Healthcare will provide a service which is individual and personal to each resident.
All residents will be assessed prior to admission to identify and individualise what each resident chooses their care to be. This allows us to meet the specific needs of our residents through detailed person centred care plans.
Lindemann Healthcare will aim to provide a content and happy atmosphere, treating our residents with respect and dignity. Our residents needs, will always be met with priority, allowing for our residents to function at their optimum whilst living in a comfortable homely environment.
We aim to provide somewhere our residents can truly call ‘Home’.
About our homes
We provide care services to older people needing care over a 24 hour period. More specifically we provide services to those requiring residential and nursing care, both frail elderly and those with dementia.
So that we can provide the best care to our residents, our highly skilled care team will spend time getting to know each resident. We design activities around resident’s own hobbies and interests. Please let us know what you like to do and dislike.
Our team will work closely with you and your family to formulate a personal care plan, which will be reviewed on a regular basis.
Medical Care
Colinton Surgery provides medical cover for residents. However residents may remain with their own General Practitioner if they prefer and in agreement with their General Practitioner. The General Practitioner will review each residents care every six months. This will include full medication reviews, or will be more frequently if your medical condition requires it.
There will be a charge for taxis that are required to escort to general appointments to surgeries or hospitals, outside of the home.
The GP will visit Thursdays and hold a weekly surgery. In the event of an emergency, the GP will be called to attend.
Dentist, Optician and other support services
All these services are arranged at regular intervals. Emergency visits will be arranged if required. There may be a charge for these services
Podiatrist services are also available at the home and are booked via your named nurse.
Dining
A Welcome from the Chef and the Hospitality Team.
I would like to extend a warm welcome to you from the hospitality team. We look forward to preparing interesting and delicious meals for you here in your home.
We offer a daily choice of menus and the team will discuss any special dietary requirements with you on admission. We provide breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as morning coffee, afternoon tea and evening drinks. We actively encourage our residents to join us in the dining areas, but if you prefer, room service is available.
Our highly qualified and experienced team are dedicated to catering for your every need. We value your feedback, opinions and ideas and will always try our best to incorporate them into the menu. If you have any specific dietary requirements please speak to one of the nurses or the chef they will be happy to work out a variety of meals that you like and that meet your needs.
Breakfast 08.45 – 09.45
Lunch 12.15 – 13.15
Dinner 17.15 – 18.15
Hot and cold drinks and snacks are available at any time throughout the day or night. Visitors are also welcome to join you for a meal; we just ask that you inform reception by 10am if they wish to do so. Please contact reception for our full menu.
Toiletries
Residents must supply their own toiletries for their suites. We encourage family and friends to help you in keeping your supplies topped up regularly.
Mail delivered to the home and addressed to you will be delivered to your suite. Should you require letters to be posted for you, these can be handed to reception.
Newspapers
Newspapers and Magazines can be ordered for you. Please let your key worker know which newspaper or magazine you prefer and she/he will organise them for you.
Hairdressing
The hairdresser visits every week and will cut, set or perm your hair as required. You may wish to continue to use your own hairdresser, which we would also encourage.
Fees cover our personal, residential and nursing care services, food, heat and light and personal laundry. Medical requisites are also supplied within the remit of the NHS, and out with the NHS remit to a reasonable scope.
Podiatry, physiotherapy, hairdressing, dry cleaning, telephone calls, personal reading materials, arranged travel, clothing, toilet requisites and other personal items are charged as extras and will be billed separately quarterly in arrears. A price list for extras can be found at reception.
Suites are spacious and stylish, with en-suite facilities plus special details which can include flat-screen televisions and adjustable beds which add a touch of luxury.
Your suite will be fully furnished, with bed linen and towels provided. Please feel free to bring personal items such as photographs, ornaments, pictures and small items of furniture.
Please inform the team of any electrical items that are brought into the home, as they need to be checked for Health & Safety reasons prior to use.
Call System
For your peace of mind, you suite is fitted with a call system enabling you to call for help from the team at all times. Do not be afraid to call for assistance, particularly at night, should you require help. The call box will be located within your reach and you will be shown how to operate it.
Lounges and communal areas
The care home provides a range of communal living areas including television lounges, dining room and quiet rooms. Please feel free to use these communal areas at any time.
Telephones
There are telephone connection points within all our suites for your personal use. Residents wishing to have a line installed will need to contact BT or alternative service provider and have a line set up and billed separately. Please discuss this with us if you require assistance in setting this up.
Activities and events
At the home we have a full programme of activities organised by our Team. This includes social, recreational and therapeutic activities, which cover a wide range of interests and preferences. We have our own minibus, which is used regularly for outings and events. As well as our own books we hold in the home, a library van visits on a monthly basis. Our monthly activity planner will be located on the notice board if you require the team to deliver this to your suite please request this on a monthly basis.
Smoking and Alcohol and Pets
Our Care Homes operate a strict no smoking policy.
No pets are permitted in the Home.
You may also bring alcohol if you wish, but we ask that you give this to the staff nurses.
There will be an additional charge for these services. The price lists are available at reception.
Your loved ones…
Visiting
There are no restrictions on visiting. Your friends and family are welcome to visit at any time. However for fire safety precautions, it is a requirement that all visitors sign in and out of the home in the visitor’s book at reception.*
Our home is locked for the security of residents and the team. Visitors should ring the bell for access and a member of the team will let them in. We welcome families to join in the entertainment organised within the home and to accompany you on trips out. If families would like to join you on trips out please notify the reception in advance.
If your family and friends are unable to visit as often as they would like they may telephone at any time day or night, we do suggest considering meal times.
Getting out and about
If you wish to take your relative/friend for an outing it is helpful to contact the home in advance so we can make arrangements to have your loved one ready for your arrival. Should you wish to arrange a longer trip or overnight stay we are happy to support this, we do require you sign our waiver for overnights stays.
To help with car journeys a disabled badge can be requested from Edinburgh Council. Taxi concession cards can also be requested via the council. For details please see www.edinburgh.gov.uk
Health Safety & Fire Precautions
The team are familiar with emergency procedures and we have safety features to help ensure a safe environment. General information with regards to the homes fire procedures is set out on safety signs located throughout the building. Fire alarm points are located throughout the premises and are tested weekly.
Should the alarm sound, please remain calm and a member of the team will assist you.
*Visitations are currently restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Find out more here. You can also call each Edinburgh Care Home direct.
We encouraged to lead a fulfilling life and to maintain their independence through day – to day choices. We promote a residents charter within our home:
EACH RESIDENT HAS:
- The right to be treated as an individual with care, consideration, dignity, courtesy and respect at all times irrespective of ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief or the nature of health problems.
- The right to maintain a chose lifestyle.
- The right to ensure activities enjoyed prior to entering the Home may be continued.
- The right to take part in their religious practices and cultural activities.
- The right to be fully informed about the options available in order to make choices
- The right to discuss and help to decide care and treatment that is right for them
- The right to determine and exercise control over the information given to relatives and friends
- The right to, within reason, take a degree of risk
- The right to have easy access to a doctor and other Health Care workers.
- The right to privacy and confidentiality
- The right to live in a safe, homely environment and receive a high standard of care
- The right to complain
- The right to access advocacy support
- The right to be protected from intrusion whether accidental, deliberate or routine whilst they are bathing, washing or toileting.
- The right of individual residents to be left alone or undisturbed and to be free from intrusion into their affairs and from public attention.
- The right to participate as much or as little in their care as they wish. Our care homes operate a participation policy to facilitate residents and relatives to participate through many different channels.
All care colleagues that are employed by the home are selected based on their experience, aptitude and attitude. Each new employee undertakes an intensive induction programme. Our Nurses are degree qualified and registered with the NMC. Our less senior care staff work towards an SVQ Level 2 or level qualification in Health & Social Care (if they have not already gained this qualification). Regular training updates are also completed.
Designated Key Worker
You will have a designated Key Worker who will be responsible for ensuring that your individual needs are met. Although they don’t work every day, your Key Worker will take a special interest in you and your family, ensuring that birthdays are remembered and celebrated, and helping you get involved in activities that take place in the home when you wish to. They will always communicate with the team.
She/he will also help you keep your suite, personal belongings and clothing the way you prefer.
Named Nurse or Named Senior
Your Named Nurse is a qualified nurse (in our residential homes) who is responsible for ensuring that your care meets your individual needs at all times. She/he will ensure that your care plan is accurate and up-to-date and that you and your relatives or advocate, are involved in your care as much as you want or are able to be.
Details of these allocations are displayed at reception. If you have any questions please speak to one of our nursing team. A folder containing pictures of our staff is located at the front door, please feel free to browse through it.
| COLOUR | POSITION |
|---|---|
| Navy | Manager |
| Royal Blue | Deputy Manager |
| Hospital Blue | Staff Nurses |
| Teal | Senior Care Assistants |
| Lilac and White Pinstripes | Care Assistant |
| Lilac | House Staff |
| White | Kitchen |
Clothing and personal effects
We have our own laundry service, which operates 365 days a year. To make the job of the laundry team a little easier we do make a few simple requests. All items must be clearly marked with your name on name tabs. We also ask that all clothes are washable as we do not have dry cleaning facilities within the home. We would ask you not to bring any delicate garments such as hand–knitted woolens etc as they could possibly be spoilt if they were inadvertently put into a washing machine. Clothes sometimes need to he washed at high temperatures to avoid risk of cross infection, and because clothes are laundered more frequently and at higher temperatures, it is inevitable that clothing will have to be replaced on a more regular basis that normal.
Even though there is a regular laundry service, several changes of clothing and a good supply of underwear are required to ensure that adequate clothing is available at all times. Please do not forget shoes, slippers and jackets will have to be marked also.
If any new clothing is brought into the home please remember to give it to the care team so we can record it in our clothing book.
We are happy to make arrangement for a dry cleaner to collect any items that are dry clean only. There would be a separate charge for this.
Personal effects:
Each care home undertakes insurance policies, which cover resident personal effects up to a limited value (£500). We strongly recommend that all valuables be suitably insured by your own personal insurance, as the Nursing Home cannot accept responsibility for effects, which may be lost, stolen, damaged or mislaid.
It is recommended that cash be kept to a minimum. A detailed list of valuables is requested at admission and this will be monitored regularly and updated appropriately thereafter. The Home must be notified immediately if any valuables are removed from the premises.
A limited amount of valuables may be deposited with the Care Home Manager.
Lost & Found
If any items are lost please inform the nurse in charge immediately or report this to a team member, who will record this in the lost & found book. Likewise please let us know if lost items turn up again.
Residents, relatives and staff at Lindemann Healthcare Care Homes in Edinburgh are encouraged to become involved in its policy formation and decision making process. This policy sets out ways in which Lindemann Healthcare enables residents, relatives and staff to influence matters that significantly effect them and empower them to become more involved.
We believe this aim is only achievable with the active participation from residents and other significant members of the multi disciplinary team.
Our main objective, therefore is to achieve and sustain a system that will meet then high standards of care offered by Lindemann Healthcare allowing those involved to play a role on this excellent provision of care.
OBJECTIVES
Objective 1 Provide residents, relatives and staff with accurate up to date and easily understood information.
Objective 2 Promote participation and increase opportunities to participate
Objective 3 Empower resident’s relatives and staff to be involved
Objective 4 Promote equal opportunities and Participation
We aim to achieve this by the following methods;
RESIDENTS AND RELATIVES/CARERS
The home manager has an ‘open door’ policy and actively encouraged suggestions and recommendations from residents relatives. The following arrangements are in place to assist service users relatives to voice their views
- Residents and relatives meetings held 3 monthly with the Home Manager, Group Manager or staff nurse in attendance. Notification of these meetings can be made by letter, email or telephone dependent on preference. Posters will be put up on advance of the meeting notifying residents’ relatives of upcoming meeting. Meetings are held alternate evening and afternoons allowing service users more choice to attend.
- Monthly Lindemann healthcare Managers meeting to discuss suggestions and recommendations noted ensuring a multi team approach to continuity of care and approach throughout the homes.
- Six Monthly reviews of residents care and care plans for relatives and resident to attend with designated named nurse. Those involved are encouraged to become involved in the care planning process from admission.
- Complaints and compliments forms are available at sing in desk at entrance and can be completed in confidence. We take feedback from these forms seriously. Solving problems and issues as quickly as possible, undertaking through investigations and look to achieve satisfaction.
- Civil Preferences. We actively encourage/assist residents who wish to participate on local and general elections. Postal voting is also available
- New method of emotional touch point word and picture cards enabling residents and relatives to see in a balanced way both positive and negative aspects of experiences and care. It also enables development with relatives, residents and staff.
- Residents relatives are encourage to participate in the interview process of staff by proposing questions they feel are relevant to be asked at interviews for new staff to Lindemann Healthcare
- Tea/Coffee afternoons where residents are able to chat to one another and offer suggestions to activity coordinator and staff regarding the activities and outings they would like to enjoy taking part on the coming months
STAFF
- Regular care staff/support work/ staff nurse meeting to encourage staff to discuss any suggestions and recommendations for future development and identity potential actions/issues and achieve resolutions
- Staff Questionnaire available in staff room with can be completed in confidence to highlights issues or problems they may be experiencing.
- Staff induction days where new staff are not included in the numbers allowing time for staff nurse in charge to give fire safety/policy/moving and handling information to new staff. Staff supervisions and appraisals are also conducted every six months enabling any issues to be highlighted and resolved if required.
- Open door policy so staff are encouraged to see advice or information from relevant managers.
- Director of Care available in each of our care homes at least once per week allowing staff to discuss any suggestions/recommendations or issues.
REVIEW PROCESS
This process will be reviewed on an annual basis. This will enable us to ensure the strategy meets the needs of the residents and helps Lindemann Healthcare nursing homes to achieve the aims and objectives set out in this policy
In order to achieve the aims and objectives of the strategy Lindemann Healthcare will continue to exercise good practice and develop training and communication opportunities.
We welcome any compliments. It is always good for the team to know that their hard work and efforts are appreciated.
We also realise the need to address any concerns you may have,
Gratuities are not to be paid to any individual members of staff, but may be paid to the Nursing Home which maintains a staff fund. Staff are not allowed to accept gifts from residents or their representatives, although the gift of kind words is always appreciated.
Complaints
We endeavor to satisfy both our residents and their relatives with the service provided by the home, but there may sometimes be occasions when you feel that you need to raise concern or make a complaint about something. If you wish to raise a concern or make a complaint, please speak with your Named Nurse or Key Worker. If your issue is not settled to your satisfaction you should then contact the Home Manager. We operate a participation strategy whereby the Home would like to offer the opportunity to involve the residents/representatives in the choices regarding their own personal care.
Care Procedure: 158 Complaints Procedure
Approved by Operations Director Date
| Care Procedure: 158 | Complaints Procedure |
| Approved by Operations Director | Date |
COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
The Care Home would like to hear from you if you have any cause for complaint during your or your relatives stay with us.
We continually strive to improve the services that we provide to our clients and your representatives. We do accept that there may be times when issues may not be to your satisfaction therefore we rely on your feedback.
Our complaints book is available at the Reception area where you may feel free to lodge your concerns/anxieties. You may however prefer to register your complaint verbally or in writing to the Care Home Manager or the Senior Nurse on duty. Your complaint will be responded to within 7 days by the Care home Manager.
However, if you are not fully satisfied with the outcome of the Care Home Manager’s investigations and feel that it has not been dealt with appropriately, please feel free to contact the Director of Care Services who will diligently investigate further
Should you find the matter unresolved following the consultation with the Care Home Manager the company request that you contact:
The Director of Care Services on 0131 441 6984 or dir.care@lindemann.healthcare
If you require to contact the Care Inspectorate please see details below, however, we would request that you speak initially to the Care Home Manager/Director.
Care Inspectorate Office Headquaters
Compass House
11 Riverside Drive
Dundee
DD1 4NY
0345 600 9527
Email: enquiries@careinspectorate.com
Steps to raise a concern
All complaints are to be investigated. All complaints will be acknowledged within 72 hours and a response made within 7 days. If we are unable to meet these timescales we will contact you to arrange an extension.
A record must be kept of all complaints, investigations and subsequent actions. This should be impartial and accurate.
The majority of minor complaints may be dealt with be the senior staff on duty, although the Care Home Manager has to be kept in form.
Investigations should be thorough, impartial and should, where appropriate take account of all people involved.
The appropriate complaint form should be completed. Staff receiving the complaint. Sheet 1 will be forwarded to the Care Home Manager as soon as possible. Sheet 2 of complaint form given to the complainant for completion to be forwarded to the Care Home Manager. On receipt of Sheet 1 the care Home Manager will be made aware of concerns raised and will make appropriate contact with the complainant.
If a complaint still remains unresolved then it may be passed onto the Director of Care Services, but this should not occur until internal procedures have been exhausted without reaching a satisfactory conclusion.
A complainant may wish to contact the Care Inspectorate directly in the first instance and is free to do so. However we aim to satisfy you with all aspects of our service and suggest you exhaust all steps above in the first instance.
