Abbeyfield Grove House Residential and Respite Unit

But the importance of looking after residents' mental health is not part of the culture. While some carers manage to find the time to engage with their charges (and it can be quite a struggle to find the time), there doesn't seem to be any understanding in management circles that this is a good thing to do. Most residents now have a form of dementia but Abbeyfield does not, in my opinion, have the training or equipment to deal adequately with the more serious cases.

I write to make families aware Abbeyfield is not a dementia home. Our situation took our mother aged 85 years and resident for the last 15 months self-funded until recently with Alzheimer’s and ended with a forced notification of 10 days to remove her from the home. The reason given her dementia was disruptive to other residents. Those aware of the nature of dementia it is inevitable over time a person’s character suffers from the disease and will change requiring more supervision. But surely a home that advertises they provide dementia care is adequately equipped to deal with it. Not here. This home caters for the easy to manage bed/chair-bound residents. The day-to-day care team are terrific. You could not wish for a kinder set of people. This review is aimed at the insensitive way in which management expected the relocation with zero assistance. We challenged about time, but were informed there was no flexibility. If your loved one is showing signs of losing mental capacity enquire elsewhere.

My mum is 85 with dementia and had been at Abbeyfield for 15 months and I had to move her this week to another care home which was very distressing for her. Management gave me verbal notice over the phone then by email giving me 10 days to move mum as they didn’t feel they could meet her needs. Coincidentally she had stopped self-funding in January so wasn’t paying the full costs. Their behaviour was disgraceful and having to move mum was cruel when she doesn’t remember living anywhere else. The carers are all amazing, loving, and caring. They were upset she was having to leave and didn’t want her to go. They were happy to continue looking after her but management didn’t want her there. So if your loved ones have dementia do not move them into Abbeyfield. One manager commented that mum wanders all day carrying a cushion and won’t sit down! My mum is chatty, sings dances, and wanders around. She was never going to sit in her room all day and watch TV - she never has in the 15 months it's been her home!