Inverness care home asked to spruce up for garden visits during pandemic
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A care home in Inverness is being told to improve on how it caters for garden visits during the Covid-19 pandemic after complaints from relatives of residents.
Cradlehall Care Home received an unannounced inspection by the Care Inspectorate, the Scottish Government’s regulatory body for the care industry, earlier this month.
The service, first opened nine years ago, currently provides varying levels of care for 40 older people and 10 with learning disabilities.
While the overall service was rated as “good”, the third highest of six gradings, a report highlighted concerns about the garden area.
Formal discussions with seven relatives of residents raised concerns about “a leaky tarpaulin cover and uneven paving stones” in the grounds of the purpose-built single floor building.
The report read: “There is a variety of communal areas in each unit and all have access to the garden although not all garden areas are enclosed.
“This was a focused inspection to evaluate how well people were being supported during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Some relatives felt that the provider could have invested more in the management of garden visits.
“There was a leaky tarpaulin cover and some uneven paving slabs. We shared this at the feedback and were assured that this would be addressed.”
But the report also noted: “People were encouraged to move around and use outdoor space for walks as well as visits, and we observed this during the inspection.
“Each area of the home had their own dedicated garden spaces which were pleasant places to spend time in.”
Staff at the care home were praised for their caring attitude but there were other concerns.
The report stated: “Relatives were happy with the staff and some felt that they nurtured positive relationships.
“Staff were respectful, compassionate, and caring.
“Some were concerned about the management changes over the last few years and how this impacted on the stability of the service.
“Some were happy with the level of communication and said that they were kept informed of changes to healthcare needs.
“Some said that for them personally, they would like more information about their loved ones overall wellbeing and what activities they had taken part in.
“We spoke with seven relatives, some of whom felt that communication could be better.
“While staff had a good knowledge about how to support people to maintain contact with (those) important to them, this was not detailed in their care plans.
“It is important that the provider look for ways to support people keeping in touch with each other to promote a sense of belonging and contentment.”
The Cradlehall care home’s management have been asked to act on various areas for improvement, including “taking account of people and their relative’s views, experiences and outcomes” through more effective communication.
