Nursing Home
Our purpose built Nursing Home has 44 beds, split evenly between General Nursing for the frail and elderly and Specialist Nursing for those with Dementia and other memory disorders. Along side this we can also offer:
- Palliative Care
- Respite
- Short Breaks Care
Admitting a loved one into a nursing home is arguably one of the hardest decisions you will have to make, our friendly staff are knowledgeable and highly trained allowing us to offer you, and your loved one, the support and reassurance needed for a smooth transition to their new home or a happy and contented stay with us.
Each of our private rooms has their own 24 hour call button, en-suite washing and toilet facilities, fully adjustable bed and TV and telephone sockets.
There are also open lounges, and outside we have extensive gardens featuring sensory areas with bright colours, tactile and fragrant planting, wind chimes and relaxing water features.
Registered nurses are on duty 24 hours a day and all of our Care Assistants are trained to levels 2 & 3 in Health and Social Care.
We have a dedicated kitchen providing healthy, freshly cooked meals and able to cater for any dietary need. We undergo regulatory inspections of our Catering facilities by Environmental Health and are proud to have systematically maintained the highest level of Five Stars.
We also continuously assess and monitor outcomes for users of all our services in order to implement changes or improvements. We do this through annual satisfaction surveys and audits of:
- medication administration
- care documentation
- tissue viability (skin integrity)
- incidents, accidents or untoward events
- infection prevention and control
Horsfall House works closely with professional organisations to ensure that our care is always in line with best practice and best meets the interests and needs of our users.
Our Cotswold Unit Manager
Joanna Savory
Joanna qualified as a State Enrolled Nurse in 1982. She then did a post registration course at Greenwich Hospital and qualified as a Registered General Nurse working on the Gynaecology unit. She then pursued Registered Mental Nurse Training at the Maudsley Hospital and Institute of Psychiatry and qualified in 1991. Joanna stayed at the hospital for 5 years rising to the post of Junior Charge Nurse on an open Forensic ward. In 1996 she returned to her native North Wales to work as a Community Psychiatric Nurse with Old Age Adults. Joanna has worked with the elderly in both the private sector and the NHS. In 2003 she took a position at Gloucester Royal Hospital on an acute medical ward, where she progressed to Junior Sister. Joanna then managed a 20 bed Nursing Home in North Wales for people living with Dementia. In 2009 she returned to Gloucestershire to take up the position of the Manager of the Cotswold Unit.
She has completed Dementia link worker training which inspired her to complete the Dementia Leadership Programme. She recently completed the "Train the Trainer" training and this enables her to deliver Health Education England Tier 1 Dementia training to all Horsfall House staff.
Joanna leads a team of motivated, caring and well-trained staff who deliver the best possible care to our residents. She really enjoys her job and finds new challenges every day and feels privileged to be a part of our resident’s lives.
Her mother Hazel is a resident on the unit and has lived there for 2 and half years. Joanna said "sometimes it can be difficult having two different roles to play being a daughter and a relative and managing the unit but the reality is the Cotswold unit is the best place mum could be all the staff are so loving and caring mum is very happy and as relative that means a lot."
When not at work Joanna enjoys reading, quizzes and relaxing in front of the TV as well taking advantage of the amenities and events on offer in Cheltenham.
Our Cotswold Unit
Our Cotswold Unit provides specialist care for those living with Dementia and other severe memory problems. This care is delivered by highly trained staff who are passionate and respectful about the dignity and well-being of the people they support. We have a number of Dementia Link Workers who provide a wealth of specialist dementia knowledge, experience and expertise.
The activities within the Cotswold unit are tailored to those with memory problems and include ‘Singing for the Brain’ sessions, ‘Reminiscence’ sessions and ‘Life History’ work. Music and movement/poetry/dance sessions occur on a weekly basis facilitated by different entertainers, which are recognised therapies using movement. We also have Pets as Therapy dogs who visit regularly.
The homely environment throughout Horsfall House, is designed to make those living with us feel comfortable and familiar with their surroundings. It is widely acknowledged that strong colours such as red, yellow and orange can be more recognisable for some people with dementia and the furnishings, crockery, tableware, décor and bathroom facilities reflect this.
Visit our Cotswold Unit
Our General Unit Manager
Gillian Richmond
Gillian trained as a registered nurse at The Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading and qualified in 1976. She moved to Gloucestershire in 1986 and worked at a small nursing home in Nailsworth. In 1997 Gillian started working at Horsfall House as a staff nurse on the General nursing unit, becoming Deputy Manager in 1999 and Manager in 2000, a role she has enjoyed ever since.
Gillian holds an ILM Level 3 Award in First Line Management and has a special interest in Palliative and End of Life Care.
Gillian is married with four children and eight grandchildren ranging in age from 2 months to 8 yrs. As well as enjoying time with her family Gillian also enjoys going on holiday to her house in Brittany France.
Our General Unit
Our General Nursing Unit provides care for the frail and elderly, Palliative Care and also End of Life Care. Residents on the unit are encouraged to maintain a level of independence and personal choice where possible with staff providing the highest quality of care whilst remaining sensitive to individuals needs and abilities.
The unit has an extensive and varied schedule of activities throughout the week including arts & craft sessions, gardening, baking, musical sessions and a gentle exercise programme.
As well as activities within the home, residents regularly enjoy the garden, which feature sensory areas and fragrant planting, and planned trips.
Visit our General Unit
Testimonials
Home Care
“I am writing to thank all the wonderful carers who have been looking after my mother during this difficult time of the pandemic. She has received consistently excellent care in her own home for the last few years; obviously at the moment this has become critical as I live in London and cannot visit her. Whenever I speak to her on the phone she tells me how kind everyone is to her and how grateful she is.
Respite Care
"I can never thank you enough for the support offered to us over the past few years. My husband was always content to stay with you and those respite breaks enabled us to stay together for as long as possible."
Nursing Home
“Once again, thank you for your continued dedication in keeping mum and all the residents safe. We are shielding at the moment so would not be able to visit even it was permitted – knowing that you are all there is a great comfort.”
Nursing Home
“Many thanks for looking after our mother so well at the end of last year. We were so very grateful that there was a place for her and that she was so near for us to visit. The staff were always so lovely and helpful – they are a credit to you.”
Nursing Home
“All your staff showed the utmost love, care and compassion at all times. We are exceptionally appreciative of the arrangements you allowed for visiting over the last few weeks. We understand the difficulties you and your staff faced, yet at no point were our feelings compromised. This will always be so important to us as you showed complete compassion and humanity at all times.”
Activities
Horsfall House acknowledge the importance of activity provision for its residents, having an activities team of which all are dementia trained, Anne Dowson-Park being full time and both Alison Rey and Sue Robson being part time. Activities are available 7 days a week including bank holidays and some evenings. A structured activity program is available every week which has been tailored to meet the needs and requirement of our residents.
The activities are person centred with the aim to promote good wellbeing, self-worth and a sense of belonging amongst our residents. The activities team get to know every resident individually and their families too, as we like to encourage our resident’s families to join us wherever possible.
The activities team work on both the Cotswold unit and the General unit. Anne also works closely with the Day Centre Manager to bring all the units together for activities, such as the tea dance, wheels for all (push bikes) quiz nights, Ukulele band to just name a few.
The activities team work alongside and support outside activity providers for extend exercise, dance therapy, art therapy, singing for the brain and musicians that come to play the
piano, guitar and flute.
Not all of our residents want to join in with activities in a large group and prefer the quietness of their rooms, so the activities team do a lot of room visits taking activities to the resident, have a game of drafts, doing a cross word, sit and chat or reminisce. Spending quality time with our residents with one to one engagement with walks in the garden. The activity team also arrange excursions to take residents out in the car and minibus for a picnic or an ice cream, as well as a lovely drive through the countryside.
Anne has also started The Horsfall House Rainbow Choir, with the aim to bring together residents, staff and relatives, for those that enjoy singing. The choir practice is held every Thursday evening.
We also have our very own Coffee Shop, for the benefit of all the residents across the home, Day Centre clients and some of our home care clients have come along on a Sunday afternoon, with their relatives.