Ticehurst Care Home With Nursing

My mother was very frail, had very limited mobility and was struggling with severe dementia when she was offered a place at Ticehurst. Although she was only there a few weeks immediately before she passed away, the manager and all nurses, care staff, office staff and cleaning staff treated her and our family very kindly and tried their very best to make Mum comfortable and meet her needs. She was well cared for and excellent records were kept about her. We were welcomed in at all times to visit and always found Mum clean and as comfortable as she could be. Shortly after my mother passed away, my father was admitted to hospital and then he too was transferred to Ticehurst for end of life care. During his short stay he was treated very compassionately and with dignity and all staff did all they could to help him and to comfort our family.

My father was placed in this home by the Local Authority following a hospital stay. While the staff were generally polite and pleasant when spoken to, I was disappointed by the overall standard of care. The home lacked atmosphere, with very few residents or staff visible in communal areas, and I rarely witnessed meaningful interaction beyond basic care tasks. A major concern was that my father was placed in continence pads despite never needing them before and still being able to walk independently to the toilet. He was even encouraged to use the pad rather than the toilet, which I felt undermined his dignity and independence. The food quality was also poor. On one occasion, a meal of ham, chips and peas was served cold. On another, sandwiches were left out for several hours and had become stale, yet staff still suggested they be eaten. Regardless of funding arrangements, every resident deserves high-quality, person-centred care. Sadly, this was not my experience.