Out Philosophy and Ethos:

At Fairfax House we strive to make it feel like home in every way. Residents can choose how to decorate their room, bring their own furniture and decide how they want their space laid out. Everybody who lives here is given a voice and has a say in how the communal spaces are decorated, used and what they want more or less of, what they would like to see on the menus and how they want to spend their days. We understand that everyone is unique and that their personal choice comes first.

How we implement our ethos:

• We have a high ratio of care staff to residents to ensure we can attend to everyone’s needs in a tailored way.
• We use dynamic personalised care plans which are kept ‘live’ to ensure staff are aware of every residents ever changing needs and wishes
• Our care staff are trained with our core values of dignity, privacy, compassion and care central to what they do
• Our main office is attached to the lounge so that our Manager and Care Manager have daily, frequent contact with each resident and a personal relationship is formed

Daily Life:

Before you move in, we spend time getting to know you and your preferred routine. Your tailored care plan will include details from when you like to get up to how many pillows you like to sleep with and everything in-between. You get to choose what you would like for breakfast, what time you would like it and whether to have it in your room, Dining room, Main lounge or Sun Lounge. We do have a set time to serve lunch and supper but if you have visitors or are out we will accommodate your schedule. You have a daily choice of menu and we cater to all dietary requirements or preferences.

Activities:

No two days are the same at Fairfax House in terms of activities. We have an activities programme which people can choose to participate in as much or as little as they please. Being a small independent home means we can be very adaptable too. For example, an unexpected sunny day can mean a spontaneous trip to the beautiful Victoria Park which we are lucky enough to be a stone's throw away from. If someone wakes up feeling like they want some retail therapy, we will accompany them to town for some one to one attention, shopping and a coffee. The beauty of being a small care home means we can adapt to cater for people's individual wishes and desires. Our planned activities are a deliberate mix of craft, art, dance, music, quizzes, guest entertainers, themed days and much more. Whilst we aim to keep life fun, stimulating and enriching we recognise that extra effort needs to made to ensure our residents feel in control, have meaning and purpose, a sense of belonging and maintain their independence, their skills and their mobility. Meaningful activity doesn't just stop when the activities team go home, we have residents who might help staff with tasks such as washing up or helping night staff fold laundry at 3am when they can’t sleep and want some company. We learn as much as we can about our residents and their life before they came to Fairfax House in order to create a tailored care plan which is as unique as they are. 

Type of care we provide:

Residential care

We will work with you or your loved one to cater to your needs whether that means help getting washed and dressed or someone else managing your medication. We cater for people who are independent but looking for comfort and company and can carry out most daily tasks for themselves right through to people who have lost the use of speech and fine motor function and need a dedicated loving team to assist them with all aspects of their daily lives. Whilst we are not registered as a nursing home, we have excellent relations with our local community nursing team who regularly visit alongside the local GP. Once you or your loved one has moved in we strive to make it feel like home.

Dementia care

We specialise in looking after people with dementia which can present in many ways. We recognise that dementia can lead to a loss of confidence, sadness, feelings of grief and anger. We have Dementia champions who share their skills and specialist knowledge with their colleagues to motivate the whole team to excel at caring for those with dementia. Fairfax House is a safe, secure space where people can move freely from inside the home to the patio and gardens so that their sense of freedom is not hindered. We use specific therapies such as Doll therapy (holding a doll or toy can ease feelings of anxiety or restlessness), Pet therapy (visits from dogs and their owners provide wonderful stimulation and interaction) and Artificial pet therapy (we currently have two life-like cats who purr and are a great source of comfort).

Respite care

Sometimes it can feel like a huge step to move from home into a care home. We offer respite care from a week to several months to those who are not ready to commit to a permanent move or are having renovation work done or whose care-givers need a break themselves.

End of life care

Once someone moves into Fairfax House they quickly become part of the community and are treated by our staff as if they were their own family. In the event that someone approaches the end of their life we do everything we can to help them die at home with dignity and surrounded by those who are important to them. Whilst we don’t have nursing staff, we are able to work with the community nursing team to access any equipment or medication to maintain comfort and an excellent standard of care. We have specialist care plans called ‘TLC’ (tender loving care plan) which cover an individual’s preferences and wishes with a holistic approach. All our staff are trained to assist both the resident and their care-givers/ families, attending to all medical, social and spiritual needs at this significant time.