We spent time talking to people and observing the care people received. The atmosphere in the home has improved since our last visit in April 2011. The staff were observed interacting with people and engaging positively and being kind and patient. People looked happy and well cared for. People we spoke with told us that the staff were kind and treated them respectfully.People we spoke with told us that the cooks are good and very kind and provide suitable meals which meet their dietary requirements. We were informed that the food is good and that people enjoy their meals.
We were told that staff are good at monitoring peoples health needs. People living in the home and relatives told us that people living in the home have access to the GP and district nurses as and when required to attend to their health needs. During our visit we met with one of the district nurses who told us the home is still improving. The care and cleanliness is a lot better and they had not noticed poor odours when visiting. They told us overall the service is a lot better; however commented staff language can be an issue, as not all residents understand the staff. One person summed up the views of people living in the home and relatives, by saying that the home employs people whose first language is not English. Whilst the staff are kind this can make communication difficult. We were informed by the registered manager that overseas staff have now completed a course English for Speakers of Other Languages [ESOL] to improve communication within the home.
We spoke with one person who had recently moved into the home. They told us, 'it was strange living in the home for the first two weeks, however the staff soon settled me in and made me feel welcome'. The person explained they had spent six weeks in rehabilitation, before moving into Yaxley House and confirmed that the manager had visited them whilst in hospital, to discuss their needs, before moving in to the home.
We spoke with two relatives visiting a person currently living in the home. They told us that they have been pleased with the management of the home. They confirmed they had been shown around the home prior to their relative moving in and had been provided with information about Yaxley House by the social worker. They told us the basic care is very good and that they had been involved in developing their relative's care plan. They told us that overall they were very happy with the care their relative is receiving.