This page contains the answers to the most common questions we get asked. If you can’t find the answer to your question here, please speak to the home manager who’ll be able to help.
Accommodation
Most of our homes offer single rooms only, however we do have double apartments for people who want to stay together at Castle Brook in Kenilworth. We can also, where possible, accommodate people in adjoining rooms in our other homes.
- Each bedroom in our new build homes, Castle Brook, Drovers House and Woodside Care Village, has an ensuite bathroom with both a toilet and shower
- All bedrooms at the Sycamores have ensuite toilets
- 60% of bedrooms in our other homes have ensuite toilets and we’re adding ensuite showers where possible as part of our improvement programme. Please ask the manager of the home you’re interested in who will be able to give you details for their home.
All rooms are decorated in neutral colours when residents move in. You are welcome to hang your own pictures and rearrangement of the room to suit your own tastes can be arranged with the home manager, subject to health and safety requirements.
All rooms are provided fully furnished, however you can bring your own furniture with you by arrangement with the home manager, subject to fire safety requirements.
We don’t supply televisions as standard because every lounge has a TV where people can watch programmes together and socialise. If you’d like a television in your own room you can bring one, and other electrical equipment, subject to electrical safety checks which the home manager will carry out.
If you enjoy watching movies we have a dedicated cinema at Castle Brook and Woodside Care Village where you can sit back and enjoy your favourite film on the big screen with popcorn, ice-cream and drinks.
Yes. At Castle Brook, Woodside Care Village and Drovers House we use a digital telephone system which removes the need for a landline, and we’re able to port your current BT telephone number if you’d like to keep it. Where we don’t use a digital phone system the home manager will be able to explain the options available for having a landline installed.
Yes. Every room, bathroom, toilet and lounge has a pull cord to request assistance from staff. We’re changing the way we pick up nurse calls and throughout 2017 are shifting to silent running, where staff pick up calls via handheld devices, removing one of the stressful noises you can often hear in a care home.
All rooms are fitted with at least two double plug sockets for your use.
Yes. All radiators are fitted with thermostatic control valves, which you can adjust to suit your own preferences. At Woodside Care Village we have underfloor heating which can also be adjusted to a temperature you’re comfortable with.
Yes. All rooms are lockable and have lockable facilities in them. You’ll be supplied with keys when you move in.
Yes. The homes are arranged into several households with their own lounge, dining and kitchenette facilities.
If people wish to eat meals in their own rooms they can.
Yes. There are shared toilet facilities, with hand basins, suitable for wheelchair access adjacent to all communal facilities.
Yes. There are both assisted baths (adapted to help people in and out of the bath), and wheelchair accessible showers in all of the homes. Rooms in our new build homes, Castle Brook, Woodside Care Village and Drovers House, have bedrooms with ensuite shower facilities.
We’ve also installed spa baths in some of our homes and have a programme of replacement in place across the group which will eventually see all homes benefitting from these relaxing baths which provide a spa experience complete with lights, aromatherapy scent and music.
Rooms are cleaned every day, as are all communal facilities, although we obviously appreciate some residents will want to do this for themselves, so we’ll support them to do as much or as little as they like.
Home life
No! There are no restrictions. We just ask that you sign out and in, or notify us so we can monitor for care, medication and fire safety procedures.
The entrance to and exits from the home are securely locked, although doors to our secure gardens are open so outdoor facilities are always available. If you want to go further afield a risk assessment will be carried out with you, taking into full consideration your wishes and safety. If it is agreed that you need an appropriate level of support to get out and about we’ll put this in place to make this happen.
Yes. You can carry on with your usual routine as there’s flexible support available to support your personal preference.
Every room is lockable and you will have your own set of keys. Carers will always knock and wait for a response before entering your room. They’ll only enter your room in your absence when absolutely essential e.g. to retrieve something you’ve asked for, to clean.
Yes. We’ll ensure you’re sleeping well and have any night time needs met.
At Castle Brook, Woodside Care Village, Drovers House and The Limes we use a system called acoustic monitoring to support our night time care. This discrete system uses software that listens in the background for unusual noises from your room. If you’re sleeping well, the system helps us to avoid disturbing your sleep unnecessarily which can leave you feeling tired the next day. If a sound threshold is broken it sends an alert to our night manager who opens a live audio (and/or camera feed) to your room so we can assess if you need help.
We are going to be installing acoustic monitoring into all of our homes as part of our development programme so all of our residents will be able to choose whether they would like to benefit from this night time system in the future.
Yes. There are regular bi-monthly meetings with the home manager about the running of the home. Residents can be involved in as much or as little as they like, from the recruitment of staff to menu planning, gardening to the organising of events. It’s really up to each individual.
Whenever you’d like them to. This is your home so they can visit you at any time, we simply ask that they sign in and out for fire safety procedures and respect the privacy of other residents if visiting during early or late hours.
We also have a relatives’ gateway. This online portal gives access (where the relevant consents are in place) to care notes so that relatives can keep up-to-date with your daily life online, from anywhere in the world. The portal can also be used for sharing photographs and messages between residents, relatives and the care team, keeping everyone in touch.
We have dedicated guest rooms at Castle Brook and Drovers House. Please try to give us as much notice as possible if you think you’d like to stay over.
We will try to accommodate overnight visitors at our other homes but can only do this if a suitable room is available.
Please speak to the home’s manager so they can understand what your pet is and the level of care it will need. They’ll have to consider the wellbeing of other residents in the home e.g. allergies, however we do have a number of pets in our homes and will try to accommodate these requests where we can.
Animals are frequent visitors to our homes, from dogs to reindeer at Christmas, and we keep chickens at some of our homes for fresh eggs which we use in our kitchens.
All of our homes are non-smoking indoors, however there are covered smoking shelters provided outdoors in the gardens.
All of our rooms are provided with a lockable cabinet to store your valuables in if you wish. We also have a resident property account available where residents/relatives can deposit money or withdraw it when they wish.
Yes. Every home has dedicated 7 day a week Lifestyle Coaches who lead on activities, exercise and outings. We also employ Community Musicians who provided one-to-one and group music activities from personal singing sessions to mini concerts. There’s a quick overview of our activities below – please feel free to ask the home’s Lifestyle Coach for more information when you visit.
- When you move into one of our homes we’ll ask you about your hobbies and pastimes and enter this information into our matching software. This will match you with carers and residents who share your interests and help us to provide and suggest activities that you may enjoy – be that taking part in one of our regular clubs, or even running a club to share your passion with others.
- Our Lifestyle Coaches hold regular exercise classes – including sessions outside whenever possible.
- We offer regular trips from every home on our Making Memories Minibus, which can also accommodate one relative per trip. Speak to the home’s Lifestyle Coach to find out more about recent and upcoming trips.
- We’re introducing new ways to keep active too – at Castle Brook, Drovers House and Dewar Close you’ll find specially designed table tennis tables, from the BAT Foundation, which have sides to keep the ball in play for longer – a bit like a squash court. There’s also an outside table tennis table at Woodside Care Village as well as a giant chessboard. Castle Brook and Woodside Care Village also feature outdoor gym equipment in their gardens.
- Castle Brook, Woodside Care Village, Drovers House, Dewar Close, Fairfield and Sycamores have cycle paths in their gardens and a special side-by-side bike for two which provides a wonderful excuse to get outdoors.
- We encourage everyone to carry on with familiar routines and get involved in the daily activities of the home – making drinks and snacks, washing up, gardening and dusting – whatever you’re used to doing and want to do.
Yes. All of our homes have free wifi that’s available in every room for residents and relatives to use.
Yes. All of our meals are prepared to the highest nutritional standards for older people (using a nutritional menu planning tool called Nutmeg) and are cooked on site. We always offer a range of choices at every main meal, as well as lighter options and meals to suit particular dietary requirements. Snacks and drinks are always available and residents are encouraged to make their own drinks and light-bites where possible.
Yes. We have kitchenettes on our households where you can prepare light bites, snacks and drinks. We’re also happy to welcome residents into our catering kitchens where you can help prepare the day’s meal or do some baking if that’s something you enjoy doing.
At Castle Brook and Woodside Care Village we’ve introduced traditional kitchens to each household where all of the meals are prepared so that residents can contribute to the preparation of food and enjoy the smell of it cooking in the oven.
We have laundry staff available 7 days a week and will provide this service in line with your individual preferences. We’ll label your clothing and bedding when you move in to your new home so we can make sure your items are returned to you once they’ve been washed. New items are then tagged when purchased or brought into the home. We collect and return laundry to you within 24 hours, washed, ironed and folded.
At Castle Brook and Woodside Care Village we have a traditional launderette where residents can do as much or as little of their own laundry as they choose. For those residents who are happy to have their laundry done for them, our laundresses will still provide this service.
Every WCS Care home, apart from The Limes, Mill Green and Newlands, has a hair salon where visiting hairdressers can be seen. If your own hairdresser is happy to use our salon we’re also happy for them to come and do your hair in your home. The salon is suitable for ladies and gentlemen, and each home has its own appointment book and price list. We can also help you to paint your nails, so if you like a bit of colour just ask for details.
Fees
Our fees are set out on a separate sheet and up-to-date fees are available on each home’s page of the website.
Fees are payable one month in advance on the first day of each month by standing order.
The charge will be levied from the first night of occupancy until such time as the room is vacated. For planned discharges, we ask for a notice period of four weeks where appropriate.
No. We don’t take a deposit for rooms. You simply pay from occupancy until the room is vacated in full as noted above.
No. We don’t conduct financial viability assessments before we invite people to move into a WCS Care home.
The monthly fee is one twelfth of the annual fee. The annual fee is calculated by multiplying the daily rate (one seventh of the weekly fee) by 365 days (366 in a leap year).
The home manager will talk through all of the WCS terms and conditions and clarify all costs before providing you with a copy for signature and agreement.
There are no hidden charges. Fees cover your room and accommodation, heat and light, laundry services, access to TV and sitting rooms available to every resident, food, non-alcoholic drinks and snacks. They also cover the care and support you’ll receive from staff, and use – according to individual needs – of the aids and appliances available in the home, such as hoists, lifts and occasional use wheelchairs.
Fees are reviewed annually and will be effective from 1st April each year, but if you require additional care support, e.g. specialist dementia care, nursing care, it may be necessary to increase the fees in line with our tariff. The home will always conduct a review and give four weeks’ notice of any fee increase.
If you will be returning to the home you will need to pay for the room as long as it is yours. However if you’re away for more than 6 weeks you can seek a 10% reduction in charges until you return to the home as we still need to provide fixed costs such as the staffing.
No. We’ll support you to apply for social funding, if your financial situation means you no longer meet the requirements for privately funded care, so you don’t have to move out.
Other important questions
All of our team members wear a name badge so you and your visitors will know who they are. Our home management team’s dress code is smart, casual workwear, whilst our care team’s is based on polo shirts which are brightly coloured, making it easier to identify them around the home.
A mental capacity assessment will be done for every decision that needs to be made for your welfare. In the event that mental capacity is lacking, a decision will be made in your best interests in full consultation with a lasting power of attorney and/or an advocate.
Our staff training programme, which is refreshed when any changes come into effect, covers confidentiality so all staff are up-to-date.
All of your personal data is stored securely in line with the General Data Protection Regulation 2018.
We have duty managers available from 8am to 10pm 7 days a week who can be contacted in the home. We also have comments cards, available at reception in each home, which can be filled in anonymously if preferred and returned to head office.
If you raise a concern that is not addressed appropriately or in a timely manner, please raise this with the home’s manager. If you’re still not happy with the response you receive you can raise a complaint which will be dealt with by a member of the senior management team. You can request a copy of our complaints policy from the home manager or you can find it on our website at www.wcs-care.co.uk/contact-us
We regard all feedback as positive as part of our commitment to continual improvement.
Yes you can, if your usual GP is within the home’s catchment area. If not, we can offer you an alternative based on our experience.
We’ll contact your relative/s by their preferred method of contact with any important information related to your life and care, for example, GP visits, changes to health and care plan, and any special events they can join you for.
We also have a relatives’ gateway. This online portal gives access (where the relevant consents are in place) to care notes so that relatives can keep up-to-date with your daily life online, from anywhere in the world. The portal can also be used for sharing photographs and messages between residents, relatives and the care team, keeping everyone in touch.
We hold all appropriate insurances, however if you bring items into the home, which have a high individual value, you must have your own insurance in place for these.
We’re regulated by the Care Quality Commission, sometimes referred to as the CQC. The rating for every home is displayed in the home and on our website. A copy of each home’s full report can be found by following the links on our website or by visiting www.cqc.org.uk
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Head Office - Newlands
Whites Row
Kenilworth CV8 1HW
Registered in England (address above)
Registered company number: 2713150