Applecroft Nursing Home

I really must commend the excellent, dedicated and patient service of the staff of ‘Permain’ unit in Applecroft Nursing home. Their undoubted care of my dear sister is testimony to the very professional and thoughtful way in which they treat those that are in such need during their later life and in such difficult times. My sincere thanks to you.

My sister has had learning disabilities from birth, since 2009 had been a resident in two care homes before moving to Applecroft in October 2020. From May 2020 she had been in and out of hospital due to an eating and drinking disorder, which I believe came about due to the lockdown situation. Whilst being treated in the hospital she came close to being put on an End of Life Pathway, it was suggested she went into a nursing home. I selected Applecroft because of how it was portrayed on its website. It has not disappointed me, the staff and environment on Permain Ward have succeeded where others failed and indeed had given up. The improvement in my sister is incredible. Due to covid, my only contact has been by telephone, the staff have always been very helpful, kind and patient, even in the early days of her residency when she was unsettled, they always gave me something positive to focus on. I would like to highlight their dedication to improving her quality of life. Thank you.

All through the pandemic, the care staff at Applecroft have been amazing. They have phoned us with updates always been friendly, helpful and understanding of our feelings. They have kept dad safe and all staff have tried their hardest to keep covid free. We are so pleased that dad is in Applecroft he always looks clean and smart and appears to be calmer and less volatile than when he was at home, so the carers must be very experienced and able to manage the behaviours of people with dementia. They have always tried to make visiting possible whenever the law has permitted it and the carer that supervises my mum's visit with dad is always very kind and helps mum to feel comfortable and able to engage in conversation.

In 2019, we had tremendous problems finding a nursing home suitable for my mother-in-law. Her previous care home was very good but could not cope with her needs, and the Applecroft challenging behaviour unit was recommended to us by a local professional. It was the best decision we could have made. As my mother-in-law's mental and physical health has declined, the home has continued to go “above and beyond”. She is now bedridden, and we have been confident about her care even during this exceptional Covid period.

This is one of the best care homes I have come across. The staff are very caring and professional. The place is kept clean, safe and secure. My mother suffers from advanced dementia and will be 100 years old soon. The care she has received, has made her very content and settled. I can't thank you all enough, as this means the world to me.

My aunt who was 95 had vascular dementia and was admitted to Applecroft in December 2018 as I tried to look after her in her own home as well as looking after my husband who has MS. My aunt had various falls due to her failing eyesight and her dementia levels were getting worse. I did not want to put her in a home as you hear so many horror stories but from day one the staff were extremely caring and very supportive of her family and kept us updated on her welfare. She was able to have her hair done by a visiting hairdresser and she always looked clean and well-fed, any medical problem was dealt with efficiently and myself and her sister cannot thank the staff enough. Unfortunately my aunt died in March this year and they gave her good end of life care, they even played some of her favourite music to calm her down in her last few days. Thank you all again for all the care and support you not only gave to my elderly aunt but to us as a family.

The care given to my sister in law was superb. Not only did they care for her but also myself.

I am extremely grateful to Applecroft and all the staff who helped my father in the last six months of his life. He suffered from Alzheimer's and we struggled to find him a good home. My main goal was to make sure he was safe, happy and when the time came he experienced a 'good' death. The staff were caring, friendly, professional and tactile. The atmosphere of the home always felt calm and they had made it as homely as they could. One major added benefit to the home is that it has a small wrap around garden and an entrance to a beautiful park with a small lake. I took my father there a few times in a wheelchair and I know he enjoyed it. We were able to be with him when he passed and I am sure he was grateful to all the staff that cared for him. It is a very hard job and I know it's hard to find a good care home for your loved one but this one was excellent.

I don't think you could find a more caring and supportive atmosphere anywhere else.

Beautiful rooms and wonderful staff.

My mother arrived at Applecroft in an extremely distressed state from various delays and mismanagement from the system and service providers!

In the year my mother has been living here at Applecroft, she has returned to a semi-normal state and is happy and content. My mother's well-being has not been seen like this for nearly four years! I am able to go away for a week or two weeks without worrying about how she is being looked after at all.

The staff and the team, work together to make things happen in this very difficult climate with some very poorly people. The care and the service are consistent along with a good quality service in all areas. Well done to the staff and management team at Dover for making this happen.

Finally, I can get back on with my life and my career.

Keep up the good work.

Lunches were being served, which one hopes would have an appetising smell - but they do not. In my Brother-in-Law's room, the commode and wee bottle both needed emptying, which my 76-year-old frail sister, did herself. The mattress and pillow had bedding removed. The floor was dirty and sticky. The room and my relative stank. It was disgusting.

Service is very good always able to talk to staff about my sister and her needs, by far one of the best care homes in Dover.

Our dear family member sadly only spent twelve days at Applecroft. Unfortunately he had already spent ten sad unhappy weeks in the care (if you can call it that) of a hospital, had he been moved just after the first meeting I believe he would still be alive to this day. From the minute he arrived he was treated as a human being. He wasn't violent like the hospital said. I believe they had a much more caring bedside manner. His last few days were his best. He was comfortable, clean, cared for, fed and sitting up in a chair on his 89th birthday. Applecroft staff were kind, understanding, polite and they treated him with utmost respect and consideration. Thank you for everything.