Care Homes Owned by Essex County Council

For residents is brilliant.

My cousin of whom I am a deputy has benefitted from Longwood staff for many years. They are very caring and cater for his specific needs. They also show love and compassion for the whole family and this has made a massive difference during this very challenging time when his mother has passed away, his father has been ill and supported living has been a challenge. Staff have also been very innovative in providing solutions.

My sister lived with our mother all her life. It got to the point that our elderly mother was unable to care for her. She was taken into emergency care at Longwood. I was concerned about how she would react to not being with our mother. I need not have worried. I have not seen her as happy and engaged with life for years. The staff are caring and supportive, both to her and her slightly nervous brother! The staff engage her in activities she enjoys. The Deputy Home Manager has been fantastic in working magic to ensure there is a room available for her while we look for an assisted living placement, and in arranging for her to be taken to see our mother (to give me a break from the car journey). I cannot speak highly enough of all the staff for the care and support they have given my sister and our family and without hesitation recommend Longwood to anyone looking for respite care for a loved one. My sister is happy and well cared for - what more could a brother ask for?

Particular member of staff and the team are amazing. They look after my son brilliantly and he has a great time! He has been made to feel welcome from the first time he went to look around. They make it a home-from-home and help him choose activities he enjoys doing.

My daughter started to attend Longwood earlier this year. It appears she settled very quickly and comes home happy. The staff make her feel welcome, take good care of her, engage to support her with tasks and are patient with her. The staff keep in touch with me and always send feedback on her stay. I always find the staff very helpful when I contact with enquiries. The Business Administrator and Deputy Home Manager have been wonderful in organising stays so my daughter's stay(s) often coincide with a friend of hers who also uses Longwood to put her at ease. They also help greatly with transport arrangements with my daughter's day centres and listen to my concerns and help put me at ease and enjoy my break. I would recommend Longwood for those with disabilities to allow carers/family to have some 'time' to recharge and do things they cannot normally do without having to try and organise care first for their loved one to do everyday tasks that others take for granted.

My brother has been attending Longwood for over thirty years and has always come home looking refreshed. Unfortunately, over the last twelve months, Longwood has had a new manager, who, from day one, did not want to take my brother because he is seventy-six years old with a mental age of four years old. I did not receive any respite over this year as I was contacted every stay to come and collect him; he now has a catheter fitted, and with the proper care, it should not be a problem. The manager said to me on one visit, we can't deal with a catheter like he has! I am going on to say it has a mesh bag over the catheter, and we have no training for this kind of catheter. It is ridiculous, the mesh bag is for his comfort. Money was spent from his allowance without receipts being given.