Ellacombe

My dad stayed at Ellcombe for respite (4 weeks). I was contacted in advance by staff to complete paperwork that identified his needs, likes, dislikes etc. Very helpful for them to stat to know him. Staff were very welcoming and reassuring when we arrived. I liked the spacious open plan living/dining area - lots of light and had a calm atmosphere - not too much noise or over stimulation. Dad is registered blind, very hard of hearing + has dementia so this room had a nice feel about for dad. His room was quite small with no ensuite, but his night time needs were managed well by staff. Overall the staff were attentive and dad was well looked after - he was seen by the Dr during his stay and staff were very accommodating to organise hair cut and foot and nail care also.

Some wonderful care here - I couldn't ask for more caring staff. Always made to feel welcome.

Only one sore point was activities, as I felt these were not enough. That's not to say the person who currently does the activities wasn't delivering a good service, but that with what resources she has she does very well, but those resources could be tripled in time and money, to produce an excellent outcome for the residents, and job satisfaction for her!

Ellacombe literally rescued me in my hour of need. I was at the end of my tether and dread to think what the outcome would have been if I hadn't found Ellacombe. The staff have been so welcoming and kind to both me and my daughter during what has been an extremely stressful experience.

All the staff go out of their way to make the resident feel welcomed. I have not yet met a staff member who has not been helpful, kind and courteous.

Nights were scary with people shouting, moving around corridors, trying to open doors. My bed was linked to an alarm, so I was afraid to get off my bed. I went home traumatised.

The staff go above and beyond they really do care about their residents they took really good care of my mum when I visited my mum it was amazing to see her looking how she used to look clean and happy they managed her personal care extremely good managed to bath and shower her that made a big difference.

My parents have been residents at Ellacombe for 3 plus years now. during that time they have been very well looked after and there needs are met both in a professional and humane manner. I am kept informed of any issues that arrive very promptly. Also as a regular visitor I am made to feel most welcome, staff and management are both kind, friendly and informative.

Our family have found Ellacombe to provide a very safe and relaxed environment in which we are able to visit our mother/grandmother.

The staff were professional and helpful and looked after my wife very well.

My mother was a resident from November 22 until her death there in December 23. During her time there she was treated with complete dignity and kindness. She was happy and was involved in all activities. During her last week there before she died she was treated professionally and with compassion. She passed away there on December 25th 2023. The staff were excellent and helpful during this time. They could not be faulted.

Highly recommend.

Ellacombe is a friendly and caring care home. Staff are always cheerful, approachable and helpful. Nothing is too much trouble. Ellacombe is kept clean. The residents' rooms are nice and all communal areas are bright and spacious. The activities and events organised for residents are excellent, but in my opinion, more day to day activities would be beneficial and good stimulation for residents to help with boredom.

Ellacombe have cared for my mother for the last 4 years, with great patience, integrity, sensitivity, compassion and good humour, including through the pandemic. It is great to see now them making use of the greater freedoms once more to enrich the lives of the people they care for. As well as looking after my Mum, they are absolutely tremendous in their empathy, understanding and kindness to my Dad (who must be their most regular visitor!) and us as a family generally as we all try to support Mum.

I have visited at least twelve care homes over the years for family and friends. Ellacombe is the best one I have visited. I would be very happy, if my sister has to be in a care home, which I do think, this would be best for her, that she would spend the rest of her life in Ellacombe Ella Road Norwich.

Mum is very well looked after. The staff are friendly and professional. Ellacombe is a bright and cheerful environment. We are very pleased that we chose Ellacombe and Mum has settled in very quickly. They have met her medical needs promptly and with care. Thank you.

The carers seem to like Mum quite a lot and she thinks highly of them also she does have difficulty in understanding some of the accents though. Our earlier concerns regarding the menus offered appear to have been addressed, Mum has not complained about spicy food for some time now.

Overall, the care home is good. Although, some of the newer staff perhaps need a little further training in understanding the individual needs of residents, as they are individuals and cannot be treated all the same. Saying that, the staff levels have improved recently, which is good.

When my mother-in-law first came to Ellacombe, we were happy with how they helped her to settle at the time, which was extremely difficult for her as well as us. We were, unfortunately, not given all the necessary information on how things were run at the home and that took several months to work out. Management is a very poor point of the home. Although my mother-in-law seemed happy, I have to say as she declined with her Alzheimer's, help with things like dressing appropriately to go out and washing regularly lacked. Not to mention the constant phone calls from carers' personal mobiles, with her in tears wanting us to come and see her or them saying 'are you coming to visit she wants to see you'. This was extremely upsetting, for us as well as her, and even after we had repeatedly requested no phone calls, due to the distress it caused. This along with the making us feel guilty if we did not take her out on visits to the home for both family and friends and telling her she was going out without consulting the visitor, once again upsetting both parties. The constant sight of staff on their mobiles was also not a welcome sight. I have to say though that thankfully a handful of staff were extremely attentive and I am sorry to leave them, as I am sure she is. But, a handful is not enough to run a home.

My mum came to Ellacombe on the 7th of March on discharge from hospital. Since then, her physical and mental wellbeing have improved greatly. The home is very clean and bright. She has a comfortable room and there are lots of areas where residents can find peace or activities as befit their mood. The staff are great, very caring and accommodating. Mum has enjoyed joining in with the organised activities such as baking cakes, bingo, trips out to church or the park, celebrations (e.g. the coronation celebration), coffee mornings and pamper days. We agonised about Mum's move into a care home, but she has settled very well at Ellacombe. We, her family, are warmly welcomed. Communication is good and if we mention any health or other concerns they are quickly acted upon. Mum enjoys the food. The home appears to be well staffed and the staff are very attentive to her needs. Her family is happy in the knowledge that she is safe and well cared for.