High praise for service at Charminster care home (From Dorset Echo)

High praise for service at Charminster care home

9:30am Saturday 11th February 2012 in Your Letters

I REFER to the article ‘Nursing home told to buck up its act’, (Dorset Echo, February 1).

I have the privilege of visiting this care home regularly to take services and to pray with those who are near end of life.

In the 18 months that I have been visiting, I have only seen care and devotion by the management and staff towards the residents and their relatives.

What your article failed to mention is that the majority of residents have dementia and the looking after of these dear people with this terrible condition is time consuming and takes a lot of dedication and effort.

I can honestly say that the staff at Chestnut House are dedicated to looking after these residents and even though they are at times hurt and shouted at by some of the residents in their confusion, I have never seen a member of staff react inappropriately.

I have called in at different hours, day and night and have seen staff at various ends of their shifts and I have nothing but the highest praise and regard for the care they deliver.

They know their residents’ likes and dislikes and if they are ‘religious’ or ‘CofE’ then the staff let me know so that I can offer the appropriate spiritual care.

The staff are constantly working and caring for physical and emotional needs of the residents and as I’ve got to know the staff and residents I see the deep bond that develops between them.

The morale of the staff has been knocked immensely by the report and rather than knocking them more we should be thanking them for the difficult and often thankless role they do, and allow them to concentrate on fulfilling their roles of looking after the residents in the home.

The Rev Pete Stone

Assistant Curate

St Mary’s, Charminster