Environment
We know it’s important for the people we welcome into our homes to feel at home in their surroundings, and so our spaces have been carefully designed to create comfortable and secure living that promotes well-being as well as a level of independence. We strive for homely and inviting places where residents feel content and fulfilled, and so provide a choice of indoor and outdoor spaces to socialise with friends and family, or quieter spaces for peaceful thought and activities.
At Barchester homes across the UK, you’ll find a strong sense of care and attention is applied throughout each home's decor and furnishings, including hand-picked colours and themes that complement all parts of the home, whilst also taking great care to ensure that they suit the building’s aesthetic. This extends to our home’s outdoor spaces too, which are enjoyed all year round.
Communal Areas
Choice is important, and having a range of spaces to enjoy with others can help to add variety to each day. Although Barchester homes vary in size, the shared spaces available in our homes are designed to feel welcoming and comfortable for residents, our teams and all visitors.
Bright lounges, stimulating activity rooms and café areas filled with home-made treats all encourage socialisation, though we recognise the need for quiet reflection too and make sure spaces are available to relax in for exactly this.
Dining Rooms
One of our commitments to residents and their families is for every dining experience to be a positive one, and the environment they dine in is a big part of this. Our dining rooms are well-lit and tastefully decorated, with soft background music played to add to the restaurant-like experience. Our hospitality teams take great care in making sure their dining rooms are well-presented and ready for every sitting.
Some Barchester care homes also have separate dedicated dining areas for private dining with visiting family and friends – perfect for celebrating special occasions together.
Cafe Areas
Often located in the reception area of our homes, the delicious smell of fresh coffee and freshly baked treats from the cafe always provides a warm welcome to any visitor. Quite often a hub of activity, and the perfect place to people-watch, they’re comfortable environments for laughter and conversations.
Our hospitality teams keep our café areas stocked up with flavoured water, cakes, teas and coffees throughout the day, so residents and visitors can help themselves whenever they please.
Hair and Beauty Salons
Moving into a care home doesn’t mean you have to stop beauty or pamper routines that are important to you, and we recognise how a spot of pampering can positively affect how a person feels. Visiting hairdressers and beauticians are regular visitors across all of our care homes, and many have dedicated salons designed for convenience and to support much-loved routines.
Hair and beauty salons are particularly popular around home events and celebrations – giving residents the perfect excuse to get dressed up and feel glamorous if they wish.
Activities rooms
Barchester’s Life Enrichment Programme provides a variety of activities so no two days ever need to look the same. Our committed activities co-ordinators go above and beyond in supporting residents to maintain their favourite hobbies, and try new things if they wish to.
Although not all homes have dedicated rooms for activities, many areas offer stimulation and engagement in other ways so there really is something for everyone. Entertainment like games, puzzles and reading materials are readily available in communal spaces, and many of our gardens feature raised flower beds, potting sheds or sensory areas.
Outdoor spaces
Most of Barchester’s homes include well-maintained gardens for residents, staff and visitors to enjoy. Celebrated each year with a dedicated award at our Care Awards, our outdoor spaces are treated as extensions to our homes too – promoting positive well-being and welcoming areas for socialising or relaxation. Residents are invited to use the garden facilities for green-fingered activities, and can be as involved in the garden maintenance as they wish.
Some of our homes offer direct garden access from their ground-floor bedrooms, as well the communal areas such as living rooms, dining rooms and cafes.
Dementia-friendly communities
Many Barchester homes that provide dementia care have a dedicated, secure area or floor of their home that is purpose-built to support people living with dementia – specially designed to improve navigation, reduce distress and support them to live as independently as possible, for as long as possible.
Known as Memory Lane Communities, these parts of our homes have been offering pioneering dementia care and support since 1992. Today, we continue to evolve our approach, making sure your loved one can live a life that feels comfortable, enriching and connected.
Easy-to-navigate environments with memory prompts
Lighting scientifically proven to improve vision
Dedicated sensory gardens and rooms
Our homes are places to make friends, enjoy hobbies and try new things whilst socialising, or find solace with places to be quiet and alone, without being lonely.
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