When it came to choosing a Dementia Care Home for our elderly mother Abbeyfield’s Westfield House won hands down (– and we’d visited a dozen or so). We put her name down and, at just about the ‘right time’, a lovely room was offered to us. All Mum’s friends were 100 miles away so we had a phone line installed so that she could keep in touch. She would – many times – describe her nice, new home to them: how lovely the staff were, and the accommodation, and the meals. We were glad of all that, and we knew she was now safe, too. When family visited we could choose to spend time with Mum in her room or in the large, bright, quietly busy communal lounge or in the quiet room. On warmer days we would sit out in the garden, or go just down the road to the children’s playground. I found the Relatives’ Support Group very helpful, both from the point of view of little details about daily life and from support with my nagging guilt about uprooting Mum from her own home and friends. Dementia presents in different ways, and sharing experiences with other relatives was invaluable. It’s 4 years since Mum passed away and I now go to Westfield House as a volunteer, adding a little to the great work that the Activities staff do. They can transform that spacious lounge into opportunities for baking preparation, board games, balloon tennis, singalongs, birthday celebrations, music for exercise, knitting, engaging with the nursery school visitors, and much more. The residents who don’t wish to join in, or can’t, enjoy watching from the sidelines. There’s always something to watch or listen to there – and, as they go about their work, every section of Westfield’s staff interact as friends with the residents. We’re glad we found Westfield House.  

Ruth Johnson (Chair of the Board of Trustees) received a certificate after the Society was awarded the Abbeyfield Quality Standard from Brenda Kenyon (Area Meeting Chair) and Julie Bradbury (Membership Consultant). The AQS is the latest internal mark of quality which all services within the Abbeyfield Family are expected to achieve. Building on the standards that have gone before, the AQS demonstrates Abbeyfield’s ongoing commitment to providing a high-quality service for older people. The AQS covers both the minimum regulatory standards and the key elements which are central to being part of the Abbeyfield Family. There are six AQS sections; Your Home, Staff, Residents, Volunteers, Marketing and Leadership & Governance. To achieve the AQS, the required outcomes under each section need to be evidenced.  

What a fantastic New Year’s day gift for one of our Residents!!! Here he is with Mummy, Granny and Great Gran, dressed in a cardigan knitted by Great Gran for his mummy when she was a baby.  

We are delighted to announce that members of staff and volunteers raised an amazing £580 by taking part in the Santa Fun Run, the money will be put towards residents activities.

Mr Ray Weston, of May Mills House, Loughborough, won an Abbeyfield competition to design the order of service for all four of Abbeyfield’s Carol services in the East, West and North regions, to be enjoyed by hundreds of carol-singers. It will also adorn this year’s Abbeyfield Christmas card. The winning entry, depicting a manger scene complete with reindeer, angels and Christmas stars, was hand-crafted by Mr Ray Weston, a resident of May Mills House in Loughborough, which is managed by the Abbeyfield Loughborough Society.

We currently have an en-suite room available in our Dementia Care Residential Home – £835.00 per week. If you are interested in viewing please call us on 01509 266605 or come along and meet our Registered Manager, Alison, and the rest of our team. Please feel free to share this with people who may be interested.