Our Care - William Dorward’s vision in the 21st century

We want to bring out the best in people and believe in building a real community. We want relatives, friends and visitors, alongside the people living and working here, to share and gain from spending time together. We want to get to know you as a real person and understand the things which make you who you are. We realise that often the smallest things we do, can make the biggest differences.

We want you to remain as independent as possible and will work with you to determine the level of care you need. You will be involved in decisions being made and we will encourage you to play your part in the life of the house. We want you to maintain your interests and hobbies, and we hope you will try some new ones.

We want to make every day for you as good as it can be. We want to laugh with you through the happy times, but be there to hold your hand or give you a hug to brighten your day. We will be there to listen, share and care.

Dorward House is committed to meeting and promoting the Health and Social Care Standards principles of :

dignity and respect
compassion
be included
responsive care
support and wellbeing.

‘The staff group were outstanding in their promotion of compassion, dignity and respect’

Care Inspectorate Report 2020

What our Care Inspectorate Report published in January 2020 said:

‘the service provided at Dorward was found to be excellent’

Care Inspectorate Report 2020

The Care Inspectorate, in their report published in January 2020, awarded the highest grade 6, excellent, for all areas assessed. This is the second year running that such gradings have been awarded, and were based on direct observation, discussion with residents, their families and visiting health professionals, as well as scrutiny of paperwork and documentation.

Excellent standards were observed in practice, based on the underlying philosophy of care within the House, listening closely to residents’ needs and involving them in this process, and the quality of staff training and supervision, all driven forward by innovative and supportive management.

(Please click on this link to read the full Care Inspectorate report.)

Recent innovations outlined in the report are:

purchase of the trishaw and training a team of “pilots”
improvement of residents’ experiences in both the dining room and lounges, as small improvement projects
using Alexa to improve music and audiobook usage
examining potential emergency situations and how to deal with them
an improving residents’ participation project in collaboration with Scottish Care
installation of a new alarm and tracking system which has helped support residents and allow a quick response to their needs.

Other recent developments carried out within the House include:

a refit of the laundry room and all equipment
the introduction of improved labelling of residents’ clothes
purchase of additional carpet cleaning equipment to speed up the drying process
installation of trishaw storage shed and purchase of extra equipment to improve the experience for residents
a change in Governance of Dorward House from a system of governors and trustees, to the more modern form of a limited company with a Board of Directors, all volunteers, promoting the original values and guiding principles of founder, William Dorward.

In our Care Inspectorate Report published in January, 2020, these were comments made during the inspection by some of our residents, family members or visiting health professionals and which appeared in the Report.

Some Residents Said...

"We do lots of things here. There are therapets, the trishaw, concerts, seated exercises, walks and enjoying the garden on a sunny day."

"Yes the food is really good and there is always plenty of choice."

"Yes I have been on the trishaw it was great fun and I am looking forward to another go."

"The staff are lovely and always have time to chat."

"The staff are wonderful they can’t do enough for you."

Relatives and Friends Said....

"My mother has been here for seven years and has quite advanced dementia. She is a wheelchair user and has very thin skin but her care is second to none. They treat her with dignity and respect and always make sure that she is as comfortable as possible. She is always assisted in her personal care and they check her skin to make sure of its integrity. Yes, we have six monthly reviews of care. I visit five days a week and the place is always clean, bright and friendly. 10 out of 10."

"My mum has been in Dorward for about a year and a half now and I can honestly say I don’t think we could have found a better home for her. The surroundings are bright and the staff are very caring and supportive. We are impressed by what activities are on offer from therapets, crafts, concerts, church services, and it seems the staff are always looking for new ideas to bring to the residents."

"As a family, we have got to know the staff well and they us. We are confident mums care needs are being well met. We,as a family, are consulted about ways the service could improve and there is always someone on hand we can approach if we have any concerns."

"Mother’s care is exceptional. The staff are supportive, caring and always on hand if I have any concerns. I have worked in the Health Service for 37 years and had great reservations when mum had to go into care for her dementia, but they have all abated. Dorward House is one of the best care homes I have ever been in, professional and caring."

"My mum has been at Dorward House for 3 years this summer. I can honestly say I would recommend this home to anyone. There are plenty of activities going on, which I have even been involved in while visiting my mum. The staff take real pride in their work, always polite and talk to the residents when they come into contact with them. The food is excellent, I’ve had my lunch with mum a few times. You are always made to feel welcome by management and all staff regardless."

Care Managers and Nurses Said...

"This place is brilliant!"

"The services are of a very high quality and I rate it as highly as the people I have placed there and their families do. They are very proactive and innovative; I particularly like their use of Alexa to make sure that residents are listening to the music that they enjoy. Then, of course, there is that trishaw."

"The service will contact me if they have any concerns in relation to one of my residents and reviews take place regularly. I give them 10 out of 10. They use the building very well and create a welcoming, non-clinical environment. And of course the staff are really good, professional and friendly."

A New Chapter in Your Life

We know that moving in to a care home is a major life event, but we at Dorward House want to make this move as smooth as possible.

It’s good to talk. Perhaps you would like to come in and speak to us in one of our lounges over a cup of tea and a slice of cake. Our staff and happy residents can tell you about life at Dorward House, or perhaps you can sample one of the day’s activities, or enjoy a meal in the dining room with your loved one.

We also offer short respite breaks, a home from home for a short period, with new friends and experiences to enjoy, as an introduction to what we provide. We have one fully en-suite respite room on the ground floor that can be booked when family or friends go away. This is very popular, so you would need to book ahead to avoid disappointment.

Unfortunately, due to Covid, temporary restrictions have had to be put in place regarding these preliminary information visits and the availability of respite breaks. Please contact us by telephone to discuss what might be arranged and how we can best support you.