When Aldridge Court was refurbished, we looked at all the recommended safety precautions that we could take and put in place everything possible to make the nursing home safe and secure. For example, fire doors that automatically close when the fire alarms go off, specially designed evacuation mats for people we wouldn’t be able to evacuate in wheelchairs and keypad pin locks on all the exterior doors so residents can’t get out without us knowing.

To get in from outside, you have to use an intercom system so there is no wandering in uninvited. Our central heating is set so that nobody can burn themselves, as is the running water in all of the rooms so there is no chance of scalding. We have hoists for the baths and electric beds that gently but constantly move to avoid bed sores. Our nurse call systems stretch to the length and breadth of the room, so assistance is never far away.

We make safety and security a priority without it compromising the homely feel of the place; something that’s not easy to achieve, but we feel it to be very important.