Short stay & respite care in Suffolk
Magdalen House Care Home, in the historic Suffolk town of Hadleigh near Ipswich, has been locally recognised for excellent residential, nursing and dementia care since it opened in 2012.
Perhaps less known about are the respite care options also provided by this modern, purpose-built care home. Respite care is a valuable resource for families looking after elderly relatives who have either moved in with them or remain in their own home.
Often used after a fall, illness or a hospital stay, it can also be of great help to older couples, one of whom has increasing care needs that are placing significant strain on their partner. Caring for a loved one under these circumstances is not only demanding of time, as well as physical and mental resources, but also emotionally draining. Short stay care gives everyone concerned a chance to “come up for air”, refresh and re-set. With batteries re-charged, home care can be resumed with renewed energy and purpose.
What is respite care?
Magdalen House offers flexible residential respite care options – ranging from a couple of weeks to a number of months. For the elderly resident, it’s a chance to recover from a hospital stay or a welcome break from the same four walls of home – a much-needed change of scene in luxurious surroundings where their every care, nursing and support need is taken care of. For home carers, it’s a chance to rest and recuperate, empowering them to provide care to the very best of their abilities when the resident returns home.
Short stay & respite care at Magdalen House Care Home
For the highly qualified care team at Magdalen House, a respite visit provides a valuable opportunity to review an individual's physical, emotional and mental condition which, in conjunction with a GP assessment, can signpost important changes to their ongoing care when they return home. It also presents the chance to “top up” the resident’s day-to-day nursing care, with care home staff often able to identify needs that home carers might have missed.
For an elderly individual, going into respite care – especially for the first time – can be fraught with concerns. Chief amongst these is the fear of leaving their familiar home comforts behind. Purpose-built in 2012, Magdalen House is warm, welcoming and luxuriously appointed. Lounges and dining rooms on each floor are bright, cheerful social hubs. And bedrooms, neutrally decorated in pastel shades, are homely, spacious and indulgently comfortable. Invariably, short stay residents report feeling at home far quicker than they expected.
Home care provided by family members is always given with the very best intentions. However, this can at times mean an elderly loved one’s independence can be diminished, with their carers going above and beyond to do everything for them. Accordingly, the nursing staff at Magdalen House in Hadleigh are mindful of reinforcing short stay residents’ independence and autonomy. The result can often be an individual returning home with a renewed sense of self - and less care needs than before their respite stay.
Appropriate levels of mental, physical and social stimulation are essential components of successful elderly care. To this end, Magdalen House employs a full-time activities coordinator, who arranges a fulfilling programme of in-house activities and external excursions. Within the home, this comprises of a varied range of arts, crafts and gentle exercise programmes. Regular minibus trips, meanwhile, take in the sights of Hadleigh and the unspoilt Suffolk countryside surrounding this charming, historic market town.
A person-centred approach at Magdalen House
Everybody’s care requirements are unique. This is why, as an operator, Allegra Care are committed to person-centred care. Upon admission, no matter how long or how short the stay, each individual’s precise needs are established in collaboration with the resident and their loved ones. Covering everything from toileting, bathing and dressing to dietary considerations and any other requirements, this personalised plan is then meticulously followed ensuring that tailor-made care is provided throughout the duration of the stay.
More often than not, a key benefit of home care provided by loved ones is the maintenance of a balanced, nutritious diet. It’s also an important consideration when choosing a provider for respite care. Prepared in a purpose-built, restaurant-grade kitchen (recently awarded a five-star rating by the local environmental health agency) all meals at Magdalen House are prepared from fresh ingredients, sourced locally here in Suffolk whenever possible. It’s a “home from home” aspect of respite care that makes a real difference.
