In senior care, it is usually quite easy to recognise the needs of an elderly person who is still living at home, but much harder to measure the pressures and difficulties faced by their caregivers. Even more so when one considers the fact that the majority of home carers are family, with the attendant emotional stresses this entails. Respite care gives both the individual and their carer an invaluable opportunity to rest and reset. For the individual, this means a welcome change of scene, supported by professional medical assessment and nursing care. For their carer, it provides a chance to re-charge the batteries and welcome their loved one back home with renewed energy and focus.
Operating five care homes in Hampshire and the New Forest, Allegra Care offers flexible, supportive respite care, tailored to your needs. From a few days to weeks or even months, short stay care can make a world of difference.
Offered on flexible terms to meet individual needs, short stay (or respite) care enables elderly individuals who are normally looked after at home to receive professional nursing in a comfortable, well-equipped care environment. As well as providing nursing staff with an opportunity to assess and update the medical and care requirements of the individual, respite care gives loved ones and family an invaluable break – a chance to rest and renew their energy.
Set in twelve acres of leafy, mature gardens, the gracious, country house setting of Dunwood Manor in Hampshire is the perfect environment for respite care.
With its elegant drawing rooms, bright, airy bedrooms and bay windows overlooking manicured lawns, the superficial ambience may be akin to a boutique hotel, but Dunwood Manor Nursing Home is purpose-equipped to the latest standards to provide exceptional nursing and elderly care. Safety, comfort and security are prioritised to ensure that all residents and their families enjoy complete peace of mind.
In tandem with the comfort of spacious bedrooms, welcoming lounges and dining rooms, and acres of beautiful gardens in which to stroll, Dunwood Manor has been appointed to exceptional standards. All bathrooms are en-suite and purpose-built for safety and security.
Supported by advanced lighting systems, communal hallways have been designed to minimise disorientation. An elegant, historical country manor house, re-configured and equipped specifically to meet today’s complex care needs.
One of the primary advantages of short stay care is the boost it can give to an individual’s confidence and morale, enabling them to return home re-energised and more able to cope with daily life on their own terms.
In this way, respite care can considerably extend the time an individual can remain in their own home, “topping up” their reserves of strength and motivation to continue living independently.
A common concern we regularly hear from home caregivers regards the prospective diet and nutrition of their loved one while in respite care. At Dunwood Manor, we pride ourselves not only on our daily changing menus created from fresh, seasonal produce but also on the ability of our chef and kitchen team to meet individuals’ specific dietary requirements and preferences.
Food matters, and “home from home” extends to dietary fulfilment just as much as it does to creature comforts.
Warm, welcoming and inclusive, our activities coordinators go to great lengths to make short stay residents feel part of the community from the moment they arrive. With a varied programme of activities, crafts and clubs to enjoy, there’s something for everyone.
Exceptional respite care extends beyond the four walls of Dunwood Manor Nursing Home. With our own minibus, we offer regular sightseeing excursions to enjoy the very best of the New Forest and our glorious environs.