Care England Visit Horkesley Manor

Members of the Care England Policy Team attended the opening of the Willow Nursing Unit and Aspen Memory Centre at Horkesley Manor in Colchester, Essex, which coincided with Care Home Open Week 2023.

Ruth French (Non-Executive Director), Rodger Catchpole (Managing Director), and Alex Ball (Operations Manager) welcomed the Care England team with a tour of the two recently renovated units. Each unit was carefully customised to meet the needs of its residents, with thoughtful consideration given to making it feel like a home for all those who live, visit and work in Horkesley Manor.

The day also included a ribbon cutting and a speech from Professor Deborah Study, Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care at the Department of Health, and Social Care, as well as live musical entertainment for staff, residents, families and visitors alike to enjoy.

During the tour, the Care England team learnt how essential it is to Stow Healthcare that each suite is a private sanctuary that can be personalised to allow residents to make Horkesley Manor their home. The interiors are functional yet stylish and full of natural light. Residents can relax, socialise, or participate in activities in indoor and outdoor communal areas.

The new Willow Nursing unit showcases new digital solutions to provide high-quality, person-centred care, while maintaining the homely feeling Stow Healthcare prides itself upon.

The Aspen Memory Centre is a facility that focuses on care for people who have memory challenges. The adoption of the Montessori Framework is critical in this centre. Developing a person-centred approach based on a set of guiding ideals that commit to delivering assistance that fosters independence, freedom of choice, and individuality. Ruth emphasised the necessity of providing a prepared environment, complete with cues and memory aids, that enables individuals to care for themselves, others, and their community. Stow strives to create communities that treat people with dignity and respect their choices, allowing them to live as independently as possible.

Care Home Open Week 2023, hosted by Championing Social Care, ran from the 26th of June – the 2nd of July 2023. You can get involved next year by visiting Championing Social Care website.

This year’s campaign emphasised the significance of everything that distinguishes care homes and breaks down barriers by encouraging the public to connect with their local care services. Breaking down these barriers helps the community to connect and allows the public to learn about the care home on their street and the adult social care sector.

Care England would like to thank the team at Stow Healthcare for inviting us to the opening of the Willow Nursing Unit and the Aspen Memory Centre, as well as the residents for accepting us into their homes. Congratulations to the entire Stow Healthcare team!