Ridgegate Home
'A home with a heart'
24 Hour Care and Support
On arrival you will be introduced to the care team and shown your bedroom where you can unpack your belongings in peace or have help to do so. After the mutual decision has been made for you to stay on as a permanent resident, generally after the 6 week trial, you will be allocated a ‘keyworker’ who is then responsible for writing and regularly updating your plan of care. This is done with the help of your input every step of the way. It is with this plan that we use to help us realise exactly how much assistance you want and require to ensure you remain as independent and as fulfilled as possible.
We are committed to providing the very best quality of care for our residents.
Accommodation
Ridgegate has accommodation for 25 persons, most with en-suite facilities. All rooms are available for single occupation and are in close proximity to assisted bathing facilities. All rooms conform to, or are above, the Care Standards minimum space requirement and are tastefully decorated and adequately furnished. We also have two suites which could comfortably accomodate a couple if required or give a large living space for an individual. Both suits have a bedroom, en-suite bathroom and en-suite sitting room
Birthdays
As we will know your date of birth from our records, we will always remember your special day, and, if you wish, we would celebrate it with a bottle of wine and our cook would bake you a birthday cake. You are also welcome to invite your family and friends to celebrate with you.
Chiropodist
We have a chiropodist that visits the home every six weeks. The cherges for this service are very reasonable for a private professional service but residents do have a choice should they wish to continue with their own chiropodist.
Dentist
We can offer the services of a reliable domiciliary service. They routinely visit Ridgegate. Each Resident has the choice of continuing to use their own dentist should they wish to do so.
Fashions
We have twice yearly visits from Cher Clothing, which enable residents to buy or order a variety of clothes and shoes. Hazel and her partner, who run the company, then 'set up shop' in the main lounge and you will be free to look through their selection and try things on as you wish.
Hairdresser
If you have a personal hairdresser who is happy to visit you at Ridgegate you may make your own arrangements. Alternatively we have our own hairdresser, who visits us once a week on a Tuesday. The hairdresser caters for both ladies and gentleman and offers wash, sets, perms and cuts.
Keep Fit
Janette, who comes to us through the charity 'Extend', holds regular keep fit classes. Nothing too serious or strenuous - but guaranteed to make you feel better and make you smile! As with the majority of our in-house entertainment, this service is offered to our residents free of charge.
Laundry
We will wash and iron all your clothes in our own laundry.
Library
We have a small library with both large and small print books as well as R.N.I.B. 'talking book' audio tapes, and if you have any favourite authors, or preference, please let us know and we will try to obtain a selection for you.
Meals and Catering
We have a very highly qualified and experienced cook at Ridgegate, and kitchen staff are continually updating their training with regard to ever changing legislation and hygiene matters.
Good, wholesome meals of a consistent high quality are served in our bright and comfortable dining room, taking into account resident's favourite dishes and personal dislikes and any allergies. Alternatives to main dishes are also available if meals on offer are not to your taste. Tea, coffee and other hot drinks are available 24 hours a day. Special diets are always catered for and catering for 'special events' will always take place.
Medication
If a resident wishes to take charge of their own medication and it is safe to do so, all help, advice and support will be given. Otherwise all medication will be managed and dispensed by senior staff under instructions from the resident’s G.P.
Every resident has the right to consult their G.P. as and when they wish. No decisions or discussions will be held without the resident being made fully aware of the situation.
Newspapers
We can order the newspaper or magazine of your choice delivered to your room. You will be invoiced accordingly.
Optician
If you do not have your own, a domiciliary optician visits regularly
Religious Activities
The right of residents to hold their own religious views is respected, and they are helped to pursue these interests as they wish.
For those who wish to attend a place of worship, arrangements can be made to help you do so, and for those wishing to stay in the comfort of their own home we have local clerics come in and perform weekly inter-denominational services.
We also have Holy Communion within the home regularly for those wishing to take part.
Shopping
We will help arrange a shopping trip if you so wish. Our minibus is regularly available and Redhill and Reigate are full of fantastic shops for you to spend the afternoon perusing through. We do have our own in-house shop, opened each Wednesday and Friday, selling toiletries, sweets and cards.
Therapeutic and Social Activities
Most of our residents prefer a quiet life, and spend much of their time reading, watching television, or chatting with other residents and their visitors or the staff. But for those of you who enjoy something a little more interesting we have regular 'in house' activities to keep your minds active. An updated list of activities is handed out to all residents every month.
Ridgegate offers a varied range of therapeutic activities aimed to maintain and promote independence, offer a true choice and to enhance the quality of life. These activities take into account people's personal interests, skills, experience, preference, life history and ability.
Activities arranged have included flower arranging, reminiscence sessions, various musicians coming into the home to perform, bingo sessions, afternoon crossword time, physiotherapy, aromatherapy, exercise groups and various outings in our own minibus. Outings such as trips to local farms and their shops or across to the local Woodhatch Community Centre, where residents can become members and take part in afternoon tea dances and other organised events.
Additionally, there is also an assortment of board games, jigsaws and card games for you to use as you wish.
There are also annual events such as the Ridgegate birthday garden party, celebrating the day Ridgegate was founded. Every year we hold an impressive fireworks display for the residents around Guy Fawkes night. Family and friends are always welcome to come and enjoy and help us celebrate these events
Christmas time at Ridgegate is an eventful time for all with additional trips arranged to local schools for the excellent Christmas shows they put on for the residents of local care homes. Last year we took a group of our residents to see the pantomime at the Harlequin in Redhill and we will be organising the same for this years production of 'Aladdin'. We also have a local group of Brownies come and sing Christmas carols with us.
Our annual Christmas party is a fun event for all of our residents to enjoy with their families and staff. We usually have some form of musical entertainment booked for this.
We use the residents' meetings, formal and informal, and the suggestions box to gather everyone's views on what activities are well received and what could be done to improve what Ridgegate offers its residents.
