Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2009/January 2010 | Page 106

LOCAL BUSINESS

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Compiled by Martin Potter

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Little Hayes
Care Home

0EX.Tel manager Amanda Saunders:
01983 752378
room, and the corridors
are attractively enhanced
with wicker lampshades.
Significantly, everything
smells fresh and pleasant,
and the food being cooked
smells enticing.
“We offer a choice of
menu, and at our regular
residents’ meetings we
respond to individual
requests for favourites
to be included,” says
Amanda.
Listening to individual
wants and needs is

THE light pours in through the mullioned
windows into an attractively laid-out dining

paramount to Amanda and her staff. Everyone

room. “The residents say it’s like eating at a

is checked regularly throughout the night,

restaurant,” says manager Amanda Saunders.

unless they ask not to be, and on top of that

Her residents’ opinions are very important to

there are communicating bells installed in

her, as they are to all her staff. Lively, friendly

every room. A new computer programme

and wonderfully efficient, Mandy has been

shows how quickly the staff respond to the

with the home for 22 years. So having a happy

call buttons, and Amanda is pleased with the

home is something that matters to her.

results.

This is a place where there is something

Because of the age and character of the

going on every day. “A group from

house every en-suite room is different, but

Churches Together led an afternoon of war

all are of a comfortable size, and guests are

reminiscences – aided by sherry and mince pies

encouraged to bring their own furniture and

– which the ladies and gentlemen loved. Our

pictures to make it their own. As well as the

residents so enjoy their music,” adds Amanda,

en-suite bathrooms, there are several high care

pointing to the Yamaha keyboard in the

bathrooms with baths which, at the push of a

upstairs lounge. “We have Barry Williams who

button, rise, fall and tilt. They have a built-in

comes to lead singing every week, Independent

thermometer too, though Little Hayes staff

Arts who do music and movement, and in

prefer the belt-and-braces approach and check

the run up to Christmas we’ll have carols and

the water temperature themselves.

coffee mornings. We’ve even got a Clothes

As we walk through the house we glimpse

Show, a fun way of shopping at home.”

the hairdresser, who can be there daily, as can

Little Hayes has grown to be one of the largest

the chiropodist. Little Hayes has the backup

residential homes on the West Wight, with 34

of GPs, District Nurses and Macmillan nurses.

residents, but the house retains the feeling of

Amanda is proud of their Five-Star Hygiene

a private home. As well as the large upstairs

Rating certificate, and their excellent results

lounge, with plenty of books and a large

from unannounced visits from the CQC

flat-screen TV, there is a smaller more intimate

regulator. “The staff, all CRB-checked, have

one, complete with budgerigars. Everyone

mostly been here donkey’s years,” she says.

CALL MARTIN ON 07976 797455 has their own comfortably sized en-suite
106

Little Hayes, Church Hill, Totland, PO39

“It’s a very happy environment.”