Heaton House Residential Care Home in Worthing, West Sussex, a residential home for older adults, some living with dementia was rated outstanding for being responsive and well-led following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), 5 March 2019.
It achieved the score of good for the safe, effective and caring categories.
The CQC report highlighted that residents were extremely cheered by weekly visits from children from a local nursery school who joined them at the home to take part in activities together.
People's moods lifted and they became far more alert and engaged when the children arrived. Both people and children looked forward to the visits. One person said, "I love it when the children come in, it makes my day." A member of staff said, "the euphoria lasts all day".
The children referred to the people in the home as 'the nannies'.
Residents had visited the local garden centre with the children to buy plants and seeds for the garden and at the time of the CQC inspection the children were going to return to the home later in the week to plant the seeds with people's help.
Staff with different ethnic and cultural backgrounds were encouraged to share the events as part of the family atmosphere of the house. For Chinese New Year, a Chinese member of staff cooked a meal for people to celebrate and children attended to enjoy the meal and add to the party feel for the people at the home.
A charter of rights for people had been drawn up and embedded and this included the right "to have your cultural, sexual and emotional needs accepted and respected". People with all religious beliefs, were welcomed at the home and religious leaders from local places of worship visited regularly.
