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Our Sussex Care Home is inspired by a strong family philosophy

Some may not know that Grosvenor Lodge wasn’t the first Holliday family Sussex care home – our sister care home, Fairdene Lodge, was purchased by Tom Holliday back in 1984. Through this, he introduced his daughters Maria and Denise to the business, and he always intended for them to join him.

Tom was in charge of the business side, but he also liked to get amongst the residents as much as possible. He’d often take them out in his car, or attend a football match or two with them. He had great empathy, and created an excellent philosophy for his daughters to follow. It was with this in mind that Maria and Denise purchased Grosvenor Lodge in 1997, along with Maria’s husband Scott. Although the building needed a lot of work, they had the determination instilled in them by their father in their hearts, and strove to make it a beautiful care home in Sussex. 

When the works were complete, there was a grand opening attended by the Beverley Sisters, who unveiled the plaque. It was a great turning point for the home, and Maria & Denise were a formidable team, creating a wonderful place in which elderly people could enjoy a real quality of life. Denise sadly passed away in 2003, followed by Tom in 2004. Maria missed them terribly, but was determined to continue the excellent work at both homes.

Today, Grosvenor Lodge is a popular, welcoming Sussex care home specialising in dementia care in a homely environment. Find out even more more about our history here.

At our residential home in Hove, dementia care is our priority – here’s how we navigate it

Becoming disorientated is a common characteristic of dementia, so we make it as easy as possible for residents to recognise different areas of our residential home in Hove. Our hallways are zoned, for example, so that it’s easier to distinguish each one from each other. Memory loss is one of the most well known aspects of dementia, so we regularly hold reminisce sessions to help residents get in touch with their pasts. Whilst the condition is known for reducing people’s judgement, understanding and thinking speed, our dedicated team are trained to encourage resident’s independence and decision making as much as possible. We promote freedom of choice and ensuring all of the people in our care enjoy a high quality of life their way.

Residents and families aren’t just supported by the Grosvenor Lodge team; we regularly welcome Brighton & Hove In-reach team. They consist of specialist dementia nurses and occupational therapists. These wonderful people provide valuable advice and guidance to residents, relatives, and staff.

We’re proud for Grosvenor Lodge to be such a popular dementia care home in Hove. We’re always happy to answer any questions about the care we provide via the contact details here.

We’re open and honest about our dementia care at Grosvenor Lodge, to give relatives peace of mind

When entrusting the care of a loved one to others, peace of mind is a very valuable thing. By being open about our care and dedicated to keeping relatives and friends as informed as possible, staff at our dementia care home builds good relationships with the people that love our residents the most. The feedback we’ve got from relatives speaks for itself…

“I have always been struck by one thing – how wonderful your staff have been. I am sure their work can be extremely difficult at times, but they never let it show, they welcomed me with a smile and nothing has ever been too much to ask. They take pride in everything they do and their dedication to the residents is obvious for everyone to see.”

“Thank-you for all the help you gave to my Dad and to us while he was in your care. The way my Dad was welcomed and made to feel at ease in his new surroundings was incredible. You should be proud of the way you look after your residents, and your staff are a credit to you. No amount of money would have made my Dad’s last years any happier or better cared for.”

“Thank-you so much for your care and kindness shown to my Mum over the years. We were so lucky to have found Grosvenor Lodge. Thank-you again.”

If you’re curious about how Grosvenor Lodge could help your loved one, contact us. 

Why nutrition is important at our care home near Brighton

The variety, quality, and high nutritional value of good food is something we believe shouldn’t be compromised when it comes to residential care for the elderly; not least because diet can have such an impact on health, as well as quality of life. That’s why we take nutrition very seriously at our care home near Brighton.

Using as much local produce as possible, our chef whips up a variety of delicious meals, enabling all our residents to choose what they’d like to eat each day. The menu can be adapted to suit different tastes as well as cater to specific dietary needs. Our staff are on hand at every meal time to not only make sure everything is to everyone’s liking, but also to offer explanation around the food.

We consistently support residents at meal times, and encourage them to eat and drink well. Food is a source of joy for so many, and we’re keen for this to continue to be the case for the residents at our care home near Brighton

Grosvenor Lodge is a specialist dementia care home in Sussex

There are many challenges that dementia can present, both for the individual, and for the people around them. There’s no doubt that it can change the lives of entire families, and we understand that in many cases isn’t possible to manage the needs of sufferers at home. That’s where we come in, providing dedicated residential care at our specialist dementia care home in Sussex.

Becoming disorientated is a common characteristic of dementia, so we make it as easy as possible for residents to recognise different areas of the home. Our hallways are zoned, for example, so that it’s easier to distinguish each one from each other. Memory loss is one of the most well known aspects of dementia, so we regularly hold reminisce sessions to help residents get in touch with their pasts. Whilst the condition is known for reducing people’s judgement, understanding and thinking speed, our dedicated team are trained to encourage resident’s independence and decision making as much as possible. We promote freedom of choice and ensuring all of the people in our care enjoy a high quality of life their way.

Residents and families aren’t just supported by the Grosvenor Lodge team; we regularly welcome Brighton & Hove In-reach team. They consist of specialist dementia nurses and occupational therapists. These wonderful people provide valuable advice and guidance to residents, relatives, and staff.

We’re proud for Grosvenor Lodge to be such a popular dementia care home in Sussex. We’re always happy to answer any questions about the care we provide via the contact details here.

Fairdene Lodge specialises in Sussex dementia care – here are some tips for communication with someone with dementia

One of the most distressing parts of Dementia for both the person with the condition and their loved one is the breakdown in communication. For example, someone with dementia may find it difficult to follow a conversation, or think of the right word at the right time. This may cause them to feel excluded from social situations, or lose confidence in conversations. However, there are things to can do to improve how you communicate with someone with dementia;

Speak slowly and use simple words
Helpful if the individual struggles with communication; just make sure to take care of the tone you use.

Keep a reasonable distance
Within reason, your proximity to the person won’t affect their understanding of you; get too close and you could be intimidating.

Maintain eye contact
It helps them to focus on you

Remove distractions
Reduce background noise if possible

Avoid sudden movements and tense facial expressions
In the absence of effective communication, people with dementia may be more aware of non verbal signals

Our team specialise in making life as full as possible at Fairdene Lodge – get in touch if you’d like to know how we could support your loved one.

Put your mind at rest with a glowing CQC report for our dementia care home in Sussex

When choosing a care home in Sussex for your relative, you want to be reassured that they’ll receive a high standard of care, as well as a homely environment, and plenty to keep them busy. Our glowing CQC report is proof that our dementia care home in Sussex is one you can trust.

The Care Quality Commission is the regulator of health and social care services, ensuring safe, effective and compassionate care is conducted in hospitals, care homes, GP practices, dentists, ambulance services, and mental health services.

Rated Good in all areas, Grosvenor Lodge’s CQC reports highlights the comfort of our residents, the dedication of our staff, and the support we offer to older people with dementia. This is one of our favourite quotes…

“People felt well cared for, their privacy was respected, and they were treated with dignity and respect by kind and friendly staff. They were encouraged to increase their independence and to make decisions about their care. Staff knew the care and support needs of people well and took an interest in people and their families to provide individual personal care.”

Read the whole CQC report here.

We care for a variety of health needs at our Brighton care home

With up-to-date facilities, a team of trained staff, and excellent links to the local healthcare providers, our Brighton care home is best placed to provide excellent care to our residents.

We care for older people living with varying stages of dementia, as well as elderly people with sensory impairment and other healthcare needs. Our core team operates like a family, supporting our residents in decision making and expressing themselves, and working with relatives and healthcare professionals to ensure the best quality of life for our residents.

With dementia in particular, our staff are trained to deal with and manage the challenges that it can present, and our home is designed and equipped to make life make sense as much as possible for residents. Our hallways are zoned to aid orientation, and we regularly hold reminiscence sessions to help residents get in touch with their pasts.

We’re always happy to answer questions about the kind of care we provide at Grosvenor Lodge – contact us here.

We try to make our residential dementia care in East Sussex a home from home

Comfort and familiarity are something we can’t compromise on when we provide residential dementia care in East Sussex, which means lots of time and effort goes into the decoration of resident’s rooms. We hate the thought of bedrooms being impersonal, clinical, and stark. A resident’s room should be their haven – somewhere they can relax and be private, just as they would at home, which is why we’re so proud that the bedrooms at Grosvenor Lodge don’t look like care home rooms at all!

When a resident joins us, we make sure we sit down with them and have a chat about how we can best make their room just that – theirs. This includes any decoration and colour preferences, as well as important items like memorabilia, and photos of loved ones. Keeping residents in touch with their past is a big part of dementia care, and this can extend to their room if it suits them.

We’re proud of our dementia care in East Sussex always taking a personal approach – it’s been mentioned a number of times in our recent CQC report. If you have any questions, or would like to have a chat about caring for your relative, contact us here.

They say that life’s for living, and at our Sussex care home, we see no reason for that not to be the case

Transitioning from life at home to life in a care home can be very difficult for residents, with broken routines making it extremely disorientating. This is one of the reasons we believe in keeping life as normal as possible at Grosvenor Lodge; this, and maintaining a high quality of life for everyone in our care. This means tailoring our schedules and entertainment to residents, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

For example, say a resident used to enjoy a wander to the local shop to get the paper in the mornings. This is something that makes them feel independent, and they enjoy taking in their surroundings and getting a bit of exercise. It’s therefore our job to accommodate this part of their routine as much as possible, and ensure they’re free to carry it on as part of life at Grosvenor if it’s safe to do so. We ensure we get to know things like what time they get up, what they like to eat, and what they prefer to be called, so we can make them feel at comfortable and at home.

This attitude is applied to visiting times too. We have an open door policy, which means residents are free to receive visitors whenever it suits them, just as they would at home. This includes meal times – eating with family and friends is a treasured part of life, and one that we believe can continue for residents in our Sussex care home.

If you’d like to know more about the ways in which we make Grosvenor Lodge a home from home, get in touch with us here.