Woodlands Care Home

My mum is very well looked after and cared for. She is mainly bed-bound, however, the staff regularly give her the opportunity to get out in a wheelchair and sit in the lounge with other residents or in the garden. The staff are fully aware of her needs and know her very well. During the pandemic, they took photos and sent them to me as video calling would not have worked for my mum. When I visit, the staff tell me how she has been and let me know if she’s reminisced about anything, which is really helpful and reassuring.

The staff at Woodlands Care Home have been excellent over the last year that my Mum has been in their care. They appear to be very content in their employment, although because of Covid I have not had a great deal of contact with them, or been able to visit the home until recently.

Excellent all round! My mum was treated with love and affection. She was handled gently and carefully. Very competent staff, well trained. Manager amenable and helpful, and knew her job thoroughly. Good food, clean and pleasant accommodation, lovely garden. Visitors always welcome (except for COVID!) and included. Very pleased. Mum couldn't've been in better hands.

My mother has been at Woodlands for 10 years and is now virtually incapacitated. The manager is always approachable and very helpful.

The new management team have built a great team of carers and support staff. There is a tremendous team spirit within the current staff group. This has led to both happier staff and happier residents. The biggest improvement has been int he activities programme. You now see more residents in the lounge enjoying the different activities laid on for them. In these last few months, we have seen improvements across the board. Facilities, care, food and diet, the garden as well as the activities. I also understand that there are plans for improvements to continue.

The home takes great care in creating innovative ways to help the residents to eat a healthy diet, keep them active and care for their personal needs.

I would like to thank all the staff for the respect, kindness and support that was shown not only to my mum during her stay but also to all her visitors. The gentle care taken made a very difficult time the most positive experience possible.

The home is warm, relatively clean as it can be with the residents in situ. Upgrades to the building are very welcome to ensure resident safety. Staff are friendly and caring though under pressure from staff shortages. Agency replacements are necessary but not always up to date with what they are supposed to be doing. More resident participation in activities would be good and more attention to doing some physical exercise - daily preferably.

Also in the last year, the home has been innovative in trying to produce menus that encourage the residents to eat a healthy diet.

This home was lovely. Unfortunately, under the current management, the level and consistency of care have deteriorated considerably. There are a few good, caring members of staff but they don't stay long. Communication between staff is poor, with messages often not being passed on/acted on. There is a high turnover of staff with many of the more experienced staff leaving and a high use of agency staff. The phone is often not answered and if you leave a message, no one gets back to you. It often takes staff a considerable amount of time to answer the door. I have found my friend wearing stained/dirty clothing which staff have been aware of, having just dressed her in it or more recently, pointed out to me that it was 'chocolate ice cream' (eaten at lunchtime 3+hours previously), but made no effort to clean from her clothes or hand. I have just removed my friend from this home, and not one of the senior team including the manager asked me why she was moving to another care home.

Nice staff, good food, nice garden and activities staff.

My mother was a resident for a period of time until her death on 25th September 2015. The staff were marvelous and my mother enjoyed her last days at Woodlands being very well cared for, being treated with dignity and respect in a well maintained home.

Woodlands has a lovely relaxed atmosphere where the staff and residents can often be seen chatting and interacting. There are regular activities for the residents and the food is varied, and of good quality. The residents are given choices on aspects of the daily living and are encouraged to socialise particularly at meal times.

Like many people I had no prior experience of care homes until 3 months ago when my 88 year old mother couldn't manage on her own at home with a debilitating condition. We were suddenly forced us to seek specialist help and Woodlands was recommended as one of the best places around. The whole family have been delighted with everything we have seen since she moved in. Woodlands has a hotel-like feel and is a million miles from hospital (which would have been the alternative). I visit daily yet have never once witnessed anything other than genuine and considerate care to all the residents. The facilities are indeed excellent but the real asset which in my opinion trumps everything else is the quality of the staff who are all exceptional. It is such a relief to know Mum is being cared for by such lovely people. I have no hesitation in recommending Woodlands to anyone else seeking care for a loved one.