People with Dementia live in the moment. Our philosophy of care focuses on the well-being of each resident with the aim of providing meaningful activities and cognitive stimulation that leads to greater longevity. Palm Court is a place where personhood is celebrated and respected, promoting independence and individuality. Personhood is a recognition of the value of all human beings (regardless of race, sex, disability, age or cognitive ability). Through knowing each of our residents' preferences and passions, we are able to enhance the quality of daily experiences.

We value our residents as people with individual aspirations and needs. Thus, our care approach is person-centred, individualised, emphasises the perspective of the person with dementia and stresses the importance of relationships in the caring process.

As specialists in this field, we know dementia affects memory and cognitive functions with less ability to carry out daily activities but there is no decline in depth of feeling. The person lives in the present reality. As the illness progresses, these become more marked. Familiar touchstones of our cultural identity, our spirituality or religion, food and drinks and music with which we are familiar are likely to have a calming effect. Life story is instrumental in reducing vulnerability, anxiety and alienation; and is crucial in providing person-centred care.

People living with Dementia respond to affection and we foster a sense of being valued as a unique individual and as a needed member of family and society. Our approach to caring is informed by the Kitwood Model of Care (1997) where love and affection are at the centre of everything we do for our residents. Emphasis is on reducing the number of drugs our residents take and enhancing the quality of interactions among residents and staff to promote safety, security and relationships. To this end, we use the pneumonic STEP to encourage Smile, Touch, Eye Contact and Positive Attitude to initiate any interactions with residents.

Our aim is to provide a safe, compassionate and caring environment that promotes health and well being. The core elements of our vision is to help residents to be comfortable, safe and happy. Our staff ensure the right care at the right time, delivered by the right people in the right place.

Our goal is to carry out evidence-based actions to nurture and encourage health, convalescence and to enable a dignified, active and peaceful way of living. Our philosophy helps staff to think more critically and reflect on how their own values influence their practice.

Our nursing staff, together with our Registered Manager work in close collaboration with the resident, their GP and relatives to create a nursing care plan in the best interests of the resident. Our staff care for our residents with sensitivity respecting confidentiality. We involve the residents and relatives when making decisions about treatment and care. Along with regular care plan reviews, we safeguard the welfare of the residents by holding best interest meetings to ensure decisions are made for the benefit of the residents. We accommodate different communication needs and actively supports a culture that encourages people including visitors to disclose their needs to make their visit more comfortable.  

We are here to make every step from pre-admission to settling into new surroundings as easy as possible ensuring all medical and dietary needs are reflected in the Care Plan, where the resident's condition is monitored daily so that we can be as responsive and proactive as possible.  We also offer assistance to personalise their room with pictures, photos and any other memorabilia to create the perfect environment for them. The resident and relatives have input to the activities and interests that our Well-Being Co-Ordinator can organise, either in a 1-to-1 or group setting.