Oak Lodge Care Home

My sister has been a resident at Oak Lodge for nearly nine years. She is very happy with very good food and a very nice room, which is always very clean and tidy at whatever time of day I visit.

The staff and management are very helpful and caring. I am very pleased my father is being looked after with such kindness. Thank you.

Because of coronavirus, I haven't seen Mum since 04/03/2020. I know that the carers are working tirelessly to look after all the residents. My suggestion is that, instead of serving the dinners on a normal diner plate, which to someone with dementia looks like a mountain to climb and invariably they won't touch any of it, serve it on side plate with smaller portions. Cut down on the food wastage. Don't cook gammon that they can't chew!

Residents clothing items not returned/lost when cleaned, sometimes other residents' clothing items returned to the wrong room.

I have found that all the staff treat the resident with dignity and kindness and nothing is too much for them. They also treated me well when I was able to visit my mother-in-law.

My mother is bedridden and is looked after very well by the care assistants. During the Covid lockdown, the care home has not allowed relatives to visit but has provided tablets for Facetime to keep in touch. They have isolated so well that no virus has broken out in the home.

As the family cannot visit my husband at the moment, it is difficult to say what the home is doing at the moment. We can now talk to my husband on a mobile and I do phone every day to find out how he is. He seems happy but misses visits. It must be very difficult for the staff at the moment and to keep the home bug free.

My husband has received excellent care. Although he has dementia, they chat to him (better than I can!) and I feel glad that somebody cares about him now I am no longer able to. They have all been very friendly when I am able to visit.

We know Mum is in a safe place and it is very reassuring for us. A big thank you to all at Oak Lodge.

Only issue is being able to speak to him on the telephone. Myself and my mum have had various degrees of difficulty getting through. I understand that the staff will be busy but it’s not easy in the situation we are all in, especially for my mum as she is separated from her husband, is not used to video calling and gets frustrated quickly when she can’t get through via conventional methods for her.

On both my visits so far I have been made very welcome by a lady on reception and the manager. He was eager to explain all the details about my mother's stay and happy to have a chat. I was told about the use of a mobile phone on each floor to enable communication with residents, and the phone number to talk to the staff on her floor who would be able to keep me updated on her progress. This has proven invaluable and most helpful.

I would recommend this care home, as all the staff are very friendly and make people very welcome. Always very clean and smells fresh. Nothing is too much trouble for the staff. Mum seems very happy.

Hopefully, we can soon return and meet up with everyone that we have become so fond of.

The care home is really good, very kind and friendly to my mother and to any visiting relatives. It is clean and the food they receive is great. It is very reassuring to us that she is being well looked after.

My husband is a respite resident at Oak Lodge. I have found him to be very happy living here. I find the staff very attentive and extremely kind. I have found the home to be extremely clean, and the food marvellous. I've also noticed the other residents are happy.

Welcoming, friendly and homely. Standard of care is good overall although not enough staff at times and communication has improved, but still could be a little better.

Having worked for 25 years with dementia patients I believe the care and understanding to be very good, respect and dignity also understood.

My wife came here two years ago and I thought it was a lovely care home then. Now I think it has improved and the staff are absolutely brilliant so caring and happy.

The care is satisfactory and the carers have been very helpful to both my father and myself.

From time to time I spoke via phone with the General Manager and some of the nursing staff, they were all excellent. I am so thankful for my mother`s last few weeks of life were with the staff of Oak Lodge Care Home in Bitterne.