'It's all about the residents'
There’s more to a care facility than bricks and mortar, say the women who oversaw the construction of The Sylvia Richardson Care Facility and will now administer it,
The most important thing that both women had to say was that this centre was all about the residents.
On entering the facility, aside from the obvious security guard to the left, you got the feeling that you have just entered someone’s home. Closer to the door on the left and still within the foyer, there are comfortable chairs, which seem to say, “sit on me now!”
But directly through that area there is a café lounge and to the rear of that, one can glimpse a secret garden with seating for both residents, guests and staff alike.
In this area there will be music on and there will beverages served throughout the day.
“We are expecting that this area will be one of the hubs,” explained Ms Brangman.
But if you have ever visited a rest home before, you will know about the obvious tall blue chairs that house seniors for most of the day, but “the blue chair” as I have dubbed it, is missing.
Instead the chairs are decorated in very modern waterproof fabrics, that from a distance, give the impression of the finest brocades.
To the right of the foyer, there is an activities room, in which residents can take part in a host of activities from tatting to knitting.
“For educational purposes we will get DVDs and we also plan to rent old movies,” Ms Brangman said. “This (area) also leads right outdoors to a garden and a lovely park. If they want to have some quiet time, they can go over and sit on the bench or if two old gentlemen want to go and play cards at the table.”
Mrs. Masters added that the walking path is circular and it will lead them right back around.
“It is also good for mornings when they want to their exercise,” she said. “There is also a wheelchair swing and there is also a bench within the swing, which would be suitable if someone else wants to sit with them.”
Next to this room there was a treatment centre, which had facilities for a physiotherapist, occupational therapist, and fully fitted doctor’s surgery in the rear.
“These services are provided by the Government and it is set up on a consultative basis, but then we carry through with the recommendations,” said Ms Brangman. “It is certainly well equipped and it features a weight machine and other like equipment.”
After entertaining themselves and having some much-needed treatment, guests can then amuse themselves with some victuals in the dining room.
The main dining room resembles a modern-day cafeteria and it features different kinds of seating so that everyone will be in their comfort zone.
“These (chairs) are for the bariatric (obese) residents, so that they don’t have to worry about having to squeeze into a chair,” said Ms Masters. “This is also set up in a cafeteria style to appeal to the visual and to the smell and if they can’t assist themselves then we are expecting the food service staff to wait on them.
“So the caregivers will be doing the caregiving and the food service people will be serving.”
When asked was that to limit the chances of staff members becoming stressed, Ms Masters agreed.
The preparation of food was also on several different levels.
“We have all different levels of dietary needs, so we will have a menu that is fit to deal with all of this,” she added.
“The dining room might look like it can’t hold everyone at the same time, but that was intentional because we want people to stagger their eating times and not have everyone in there at once.”
Asked whether that kitchen would be used to facilitate the entire place, she said, yes, but explained that the Harmony Unit, which is for people with cognitive disorders had their own dining and kitchen facilities.
Both stressed that they want the families and friends of residents to feel comfortable in popping in whenever they wanted to.
“We aim to make sure that families are involved in the care,” said Mrs. Masters.
“So guests are allowed throughout the property. And if people happen to just be in the area and want to stop in they can just come.”
There are respite rooms overlooking the garden area and they are for temporary residents, who will stay over to give carers a break.
The library is a deep green and it gives the impression of being a bit of a cigar room, but both administrators expressed a desperate need for the public to donate books, magazines and other periodicals.
Next to the library there is a non-denominational chapel and aside from the altar there is a keyboard that residents can either play or play pre-programmed music. “It plays a selection of hymns,” said Ms Brangman.
While passing the red area, near the nurses station, Mrs. Masters explained that all caregivers and nurses will carry pagers and telephones, so that they can receive calls from each other and or from residents.
“So it doesn’t matter where they are in the facility,” added Mrs. Masters, “and they don’t have to be at the nurses station to receive a call. It should be ten nurses and a total of about 20 support and environmental staff.”
The sluice room, they said, is somewhere where bedpans get put into a specialised washing machine and are cleaned.
Some of the double rooms are designed where there is a central location, but then the two rooms separate from each other.
“When they want company they can just open up, but they want their privacy, they can have that too,” explained Ms Brangman.
“They also have access to the veranda and there is also a fridge and microwave with cupboard space in the entry.”
Mrs. Masters says: “There’s nothing more frustrating than wanting some ice cream at night and the kitchen is closed.”
Asked whether the wristbands that the residents will wear had GPS or not, Mrs. Masters said: “We do have a little thing that we can use to see if we can find them (if they wander off). But GPS is not far off.”
Each floor has a specialised bath facility, in which caregivers can utilise.
There is also apartments for couples who are in need of assisted living facilities.
“These are for people who might have issues with their instrumentals in daily living,” she said. “They might not be able to shop, they might not be able to clean house, but they might be able to survive on their own, so this is an apartment that they could live in.
“It is a one-bedroom apartment, which could be for a husband and a wife or it could even be for one of them who requires care and one who doesn’t. There are also other combinations that we can do.”
There is an in-house industrial laundry, but for people who want to do their own there are laundry facilities on each floor — and in the assisted living apartments they have their own facilities.”
Asked how much would one of the apartments set someone back, Mrs. Masters said: “The cost depends on the care and services that are required, so there will probably be a base, which has not been set as yet, and then it will be stepped accordingly in relation to what services are required and also what types of supplies are required.”
The steps have magnetic locking systems so that residents don’t stumble and fall.
Although most of the rooms open onto a balcony, all residents will not be allowed access if it is felt that they would not be safe.
There was also a country-styled kitchen for those who still can and want to cook for themselves. It is also open to family members and friends to cook for their loved ones.
Added Mrs. Masters:<\p>“They can also have a party in here!”
