The Highgate Care Home

I would recommend this care home to anyone, my family and I have felt truly supported throughout my mum's stay and I know they will continue to do so.

I am very pleased with the care my mother has received. The staff are cheerful and kind and I couldn't wish for better care from them.

The staff are very helpful and the food is very good. I feel secure and safe.

The staff are very friendly and can’t do enough for me; this applies to both day and night staff. I have enjoyed the social distance music group and speaking to my family virtually. The food is generally very good.

Everything has been absolutely fine. Staff and food etc all excellent.

Previous change of management and procedures have improved the run of the home. Still, more work is needed. Renovations are planned and extremely overdue. Service of residents, daily care and nursing have improved. More attention is required in planning food and menus, especially food served in the evenings. Some meals are too heavy to digest for the bedridden. Improvements are not instant. It takes times, but signs are positive.

I have always found Highgate care home a very good place to send any loved one to. The politeness of all the staff, whether they are nurses, carers or auxiliary staff, is very reassuring. I have very little to complain about and my brother has never complained about any mistreatment. He does not talk much but I know that he would complain to me if he is unhappy about something. I have found on very few occasions that there is a shortage of staff and perhaps this can be addressed. The food is good most of the time and his care is very good.

I came to The Highgate when I was very ill around 7 months ago, I have since then received good care from the staff who got me up on my feet, I can do things I couldn’t do before due to ill health. I am an active member and I enjoy going to all the activities provided, I found, in particular, Christmas was very special for me and my family at The Highgate, the decorations were magical the entertainment was wonderful and the whole atmosphere was very jolly. My family were very impressed at the 'Residents and Relatives Christmas Party'. My family have no fear in leaving me after a visit as they know I am well looked after. Things I have requested are always done. I feel I am content living at The Highgate.

Very unwell when I arrived. They nursed me back to health with great care and kindness.

I do not like being in a care home, but as it was necessary for a few weeks, this care home is good. I feel safe at night in case I fall. The food has been good and I have put on some weight. I could have benefitted from more exercise. Staff are welcoming to my friends. If circumstances change for the worse I will come back.

I only have praise for the home and the way they have been treating my father and family. English is not my father's first language and the care team, and it really is a team, have made every effort to ensure my father is comfortable, looked after and happy. The care team ensure his needs are met and any request from him and his family is never too much to ask. Excellent staff, reliable, friendly, helpful but at the same time, professional.

My stay of three weeks helped me to recover from an operation.

I have been living at The Highgate for approx 4 years now I feel content and feel well looked after, my room is comfortable. I recently went out on a trip to Southend on Sea which I thoroughly enjoyed very very much. I enjoy going down to music on a Thursday and enjoy participating in the music at all times, I also like to participate with my music skills when we have musical events. Most times the food is good, however, I would like more Caribbean food offered to me.

I feel good in my new room it’s very spacious and enjoying my new bed. The carers are fully aware of my needs and I feel at times I’m well looked after. Sometimes the food is ok other times it lacks variation. I enjoy the one to one music interaction on a Thursday and at times enjoying singing with him. When I do feel well enough I enjoy being creative in the art group run by another resident.

A friend of mine used the respite service, and therefore on several occasions, I visited The Highgate. I found the home very welcoming with a real sense of compassion. The environment was clean and tidy with a real sense of warmth. The periods my friend spent there were very enjoyable.

It is difficult to write a clear review and I have no previous experience to make a comparison. Some things are very subjective. The home is very comfortable, well-run, well-staffed and welcoming. The importance of a smile on the face of a carer is vital to one's well-being, especially when feeling vulnerable. This was only occasionally lacking. The only activity I attended was the poetry session, which was very good. The only complaint was from various friends who found difficulty in getting through to the room phone, even with the right extension. I appreciated the phone, but the system needs improvement. Also, some things went to the laundry but never came back, including the important DVT stockings, which I can't replace.

I'm particularly impressed with the home manager who greets us all with genuine warmth which sets the standard for everyone.

On arrival at the home, I didn't feel greeted. Nobody came out to meet me or visit me early in my room.

I came unexpectedly as a result of an emergency (hip operation) and needed to find respite care. I was welcomed at every level and looked after carefully especially in the early post-op days when I could not bring myself to eat anything. I found the presence of nursing staff in charge of each floor very reassuring and all staff have been cooperative, helpful in suggesting solutions to my temporary problem of "homelessness" and in liaising with other aspects as necessary. Nice atmosphere.

I have been visiting the Highgate Care home weekly now for over two years. I have always found the standards of care very high and most satisfactory. The activities are well suited to my cousin's situation.