Welcoming new residents to The Manor House Roundhay

Moving into a care home can be an overwhelming experience but our care teams are on hand to support you every step of the way. 

Clare Erskine, Home Manager at The Manor House Roundhay, talks about how she and her team help new residents feel at home.

Hello, my name is Clare Erskine and I’m the Home Manager at The Manor House Roundhay, a new luxury care home in the heart of Leeds. We recently opened in October and since then the whole team have been focused on taking the time to make sure our residents feel truly at home. In my blog today I’d like to talk about how residents receive a special welcome at The Manor House Roundhay.

A special welcome on moving in day

We understand that moving into a care home can be overwhelming but we’re here to support you every step of the way. To help you navigate this transitional time, we'll dedicate a member of the team to welcome you and guide you through the process. For those residents living with dementia, we wish to have a deeper understanding of who you are and what is important to you.  To make sure we deliver truly individualised care and support we ask individuals and their families to complete a life story booklet. This helps us understand what is important to new residents and personalise our care. We appreciate that moving to a new home can be very daunting, particularly for individuals living with memory  challenges. We also know the importance of having the valuable insight into “seeing the person first” before the “condition of dementia”.

We encourage family members to bring some of your personal possessions to decorate your room with before you move in. This means you'll have a sense of comfort and familiarity from day one. In terms of unpacking your belongings, we are happy to help or give you and your family as much space as you need – it’s completely up to you. 

We'll also provide you with a welcome pack, which has details of the whole team at The Manor House Roundhay, so you know who's who. It will also have information on the activities we have planned that you might want to get involved in. Although when it comes to your day-to-day life, we'll be led by you and what you want to do.

Finally, your dedicated carer will take you on a tour of the home, so you're familiar with the layout of the different spaces. This will include every detail to help you enjoy your new home, from showing you where different facilities are, to how to switch the televisions on and off.

Building connections at The Manor House Roundhay 

As Home Manager I like to form strong connections with potential residents and their families as soon as possible, getting to know you before you've even moved in. Whether that's spending lots of time talking together in person, by email or over the phone. I think it's important to develop relationships with people from the very beginning of this journey.

You will also get to know the whole team here – after all they are the people you'll be seeing every day. That includes meeting our Chef Manager Howard and our catering team, who want to know what sorts of foods you enjoy so they can serve your favourite dishes. Our Administrator Sam and the whole care team will also spend time with you, ensuring that from day one you are surrounding by familiar, friendly faces.

My team and I will ask you about any medical and health requirements you may have, but we'll also take the time to understand how you're feeling and support you on an individualised personal level. It's important to me that you feel we're supporting you with all aspects of your care every day.

Clare’s approach to welcoming new residents is something you can expect from Anchor care homes across the country. We’re committed to providing individually tailored care that meets the needs of residents and enhances quality of life. You’ll have the opportunity to view the home in person or virtually, meet the friendly team and view any sample menus or activity plans. You can also discuss your preferences for how you’d like your day to look, from the food you’d like to eat and where you’d like to eat it, to the activities you’d like to take part in. 

To find out more about how we give residents a warm welcome, click here.