Epsom care home celebrates nominations in THREE different awards

Home news

Oct 23, 2019

The team at Care UK’s Appleby House, on Longmead Road, has been nominated for the Caring UK Awards, the National Care Awards and the National Dementia Care Awards.

The home has been nominated for 'South Care Home of the Year’ in the Caring UK Awards and ‘Best Dementia Care Home’ in the National Dementia Awards, which both celebrate excellence and team effort in care homes across the country. While the home’s very own Zoe Couchman has also been nominated in the ‘Care Apprentice’ category in the National Care Awards.

The home is up for ‘South Care Home of the Year’ thanks to the team’s firm belief in putting residents at the heart of everything they do at Appleby House. The home is CQC ‘Outstanding’ rated, and is a place where residents, relatives and colleagues are all members of the ‘Appleby family’, ensuring that everyone knows each other on a personal level. This has stemmed from the home’s ‘things about me’ campaign which allows residents to write their interests on their bedroom door. One resident’s reads: ‘I love animals and used to own dogs’ so whenever a dog is brought to the home, team members ensure that the resident gets to meet them.

Appleby House’s nomination for ‘Best Dementia Care Home’ is down to its focus on positive risk-taking, particularly for residents living with dementia, which allows residents to gain independence to ensure that they lead fulfilled lives. For instance, the team at Appleby House is currently working with an occupational therapy team and social services to enable a resident to walk to church on his own. There is also a vegetable and herb garden which residents tend to everyday, and services such as a unisex hair salon, ice cream parlour and even an art studio, which prove a popular way to spend the day.

This family atmosphere also extends to the team, so much so that Zoe Couchman has been nominated for the ‘Care Apprentice’ award. This is because she loves to get involved with the activities as well as chatting to residents, and her passion is evident in everything that she does.

Zoe decided she wanted to work in the care sector having helped her family to care for her grandmother, who was living with Alzheimer’s. When she started, she was extremely shy and lacked confidence due to her severe dyslexia and anxiety. Through the help and support of team members and residents, her friendliness and enthusiasm for the job now lights up the home.

When asked about how working in the home has changed her, Zoe said: “The trust and confidence that the team has shown me has enabled me to develop so much. I’m considering training to be a nurse now – which is not something I would have ever thought possible a year ago. I can’t believe I’ve been nominated for an award, it’s so exciting!”

Shona Bradbury, the home manager of Appleby House, said: “Here at Appleby House we’re absolutely delighted to have been nominated for not one but three awards. It’s testament to the hard work of every team member here that we’ve been recognised by three national bodies. Our ethos is to focus on what people can do, rather than what they can’t do, and strike a balance between freedom and safety, which helps residents remain independent and live purpose.

“Everyone here is so proud of Zoe and all she has achieved in the last year, and everyone here is rooting for her to win, especially the residents!”

Appleby House has been designed to deliver the very best standards of care and to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives. The home provides residential and specialist dementia care, as well as short term respite.

To find out more about Appleby House, please contact home manager, Shona Bradbury, on 01372 887 892 or email shona.bradbury@careuk.com.

For more general information, please visit: careuk.com/appleby-house.