Larchwood Care

Mundy House care home, part of Larchwood Care, has won another prestigious award.

The Basildon care home won the Community Involvement award at the sixth annual Caring UK Awards, which recognise excellence and achievement within the care sector across the UK. It also achieved a finalist place for the Excellence and Innovation in Dementia Care category.

The home, in Church Road, won two awards at the Essex Care Sector Awards earlier this year – The Prospers – and was highly commended in a further three categories. Mundy House has been recognised for care excellence at these awards every year they have run since the inaugural ceremony in 2016.

Last year, Mundy House was awarded a gold medal by NHS England & Improvement – East of England Regional Team for an initiative raising awareness of keeping older people as physically fit as possible.

Tony Stein, chief executive of Larchwood Care said: “Congratulation to everyone at Mundy House. The home continues to go above and beyond for its residents, with initiatives like the Archie Project and the Namaste Room making a huge difference to the residents’ lives.

“I had the absolute pleasure to join members of the teams of six services which were finalists at the Caring UK Awards last night.

“It was an honour to spend time with just a few of the amazing people that work so hard to transform and enrich the lives of the hundreds of residents in our homes. To have six homes shortlisted as finalists in seven categories and two outright winners was testament to the passion and commitment of everyone involved.

“I’ve never felt so proud and honestly believe that their success should be shared across the entire team who all play a major part in making our services a home for those who rely on us for their care.”

An awards spokesperson said: “Never has there been a more appropriate time to recognise the amazing and selfless contribution that our carers make and how they have given so much to protect and care for their residents in the face of unprecedented challenges.”

The awards are organised by Script Events in conjunction with leading care industry magazine Caring UK, with support from headline sponsor Virgin Money.

In each category up to seven finalists have been selected and they will now go through to the next stage of the judging process.

The winners were revealed at a glittering awards ceremony at The Athena in Leicester on Thursday, December 7 when the industry gathered to salute all that is great about the care sector

Community Involvement nomination:

The Archie Project is an exciting intergenerational dementia awareness project that links local primary schools, care homes, and community members to ultimately dispel the fear and stigma often associated with dementia and create more dementia friendly communities. In October 2022 the Fairhouse School and Mundy House formed a partnership to become involved in the project.

Both the Manager and Deputy Manager from Mundy House visit the school on a regular basis to address the school children in their assemblies to answer the children’s questions about Dementia to provide an understanding and bridge any misconceptions. The children also visit Mundy House to mingle with the residents, each child sitting with a resident and sharing their excitement and speaking without any barriers. Following the first visit, some of the residents stated this was one of the best days in their life and meeting with children brought back fond memories.

Earlier this year, Mundy House organised an ‘Archie March’ to the care home, in which the children marched from the school in scarecrow outfits, representing the Archie Project logo. The home staff and school teachers also got involved, marching around two miles from the school to Mundy House and they had a fantastic day with the residents. It was beautiful to witness the children remembering the residents who they had met before, and the residents remembering the children who sat with them at their last visit. This has proved that these meetings have improved residents memory and cognition, and effectiveness of intergenerational communication as well.

Both the school and the Home have agreed to continue the journey in the coming years to support the residents' mental and emotional wellbeing and to connect the children with the elderly generation, so they will be able to understand, value and respect older generations.

Excellence and Innovation in Dementia Care nomination:

Mundy House has successfully implemented a new approach that has proven beneficial to the lives of their residents and enhanced their overall well-being. The home has committed to an inclusive living environment where all residents, regardless of their cognitive abilities, live together as a community, participate in daily activities, and experience the joys of everyday life. It is through implementing a sensory approach that Mundy House has set a new standard in dementia care, seeing improvements in residents' daily lives and well-being.

This project was born after the Mundy House Manager and Deputy attended a Namaste workshop organised by the ECC Quality Team in November 2022. Inspired by the workshop, the team turned one of their lounges into a serene Namaste room, where residents are pampered and find relaxation through soothing music, chocolates, and hot and cold beverages.

The Namaste room boasts an array of sensory elements, including an aromatherapy diffuser, essential oils, a calming lamp, Alexa for soothing music, a foot spa, foot massager, fiddle muffs, fiddle boards, candles, bubbles, fairy lights, and various hand creams. The team recognised the need for a person-centred approach, acknowledging each resident's unique preferences and adapting the sensory activities accordingly.

The implementation of the 'Namaste' project has had a profound effect on the lives of residents at Mundy House. It has not only provided them with a place of relaxation but has also increased one-to-one interaction time, allowing for a more personalised and attentive approach to care.

Mundy House's dedication to creating a personalised and holistic care experience, where residents' individual histories and preferences are valued and explored, has cemented the home's willingness and determination to support their residents to the best of their ability.

ENDS

NEWS RELEASE: ISSUED ON BEHALF OF LARCHWOOD CARE

CONTACT: Joss Havakin on 01325 363436

Notes to editors:

Larchwood Care has an extensive range of care homes, with an excellent reputation, in England and Scotland.

All of the facilities are set up to support a comfortable lifestyle while making the most of a skilled care team with an approach that is homely and charming, while also being modern and efficient.

Larchwood Care Homes is managed by Healthcare Management Solutions, one of the leading providers of care in the UK.

https://www.larchwoodcare.co.uk/