Comments from staff and people living in the home included;'I like everything here. The staff are fine and the food's okay. It's better here than in the other places I've lived. It's wider'. 'Nothing to improve.'
'It's okay here but not all that wonderful. I don't do much, I watch the TV. The food's okay, my favourite is beef.'
'We have parties, play games, and go bowling. I like going to the caf', I like the food, I like it when we have pasties.'
'I like working here very much. The manager listens and is very approachable. She is open to new ideas and listens to us. That makes a real difference to the house.'
'Having an activities coordinator is her (the manager's) experiment. She provided the money to develop activities. That was a real highpoint - the trust she placed in us.'
'People living at Ribston House have as much choice in their lives as you and I do.'
'It's a nice house. We have a really good manager who does her best for everyone.'
'I really enjoy my job. I love working with the people here. A bad day is when the washing machine doesn't work or if someone is ill.'
'The best thing is when you make a difference for the service user ' something that makes them happy.'
'The people here can do whatever they choose ' what food to eat, when to get up, what to do in the day. They have a nice life'
The activities coordinator talked very enthusiastically about her work. There is a wide range of activities within the community and the household. On a regular week people are likely to have the opportunity to go to the pub, go bowling, attend college, go for a drive, or attend performance arts at a local community facility (the Kingfisher Centre). In house there is likely to be bingo, music therapy, arts and crafts, and use of the sensory room. All of the people in the house have the opportunity to undertake the activities of their choice, be that in a group or as an individual.
The activities coordinator works with each person to find out what they like to do and tries to, as far as possible, meet their needs. Each person has an activities plan. An evaluation sheet regularly considers their participation, engagement, and interaction with the activities, and activity choices may be changed or adjusted in the light of these evaluations. A three monthly report is completed on each person. The activities coordinator encourages each person to make choices about how they spend their time. For example, one person likes to go to the pub or for a drive in the afternoon. Another person likes to go shopping with a member of staff.
People have a choice about the food they eat and have a say in how the menu is developed at residents' meetings. At these residents' meetings, choices about holidays, activities, and other aspects of daily life are discussed. People also choose how their rooms are decorated. For example one person's room was pink but is now half pink and half cream because she wanted a change recently. Staff recognise that it is sometimes more difficult to understand the choices of those people who are non-verbal but offer examples where they have been successful in doing this.
If a person is having a problem or has a complaint, the key worker would initially talk it through with the person. That member of staff would then talk with the manager. Staff say that all complaints are fully documented. At the residents' meetings staff emphasis to people how to complain if they are not happy with anything. Staff take the view that the manager is very open and approachable, and they would not hesitate to share a problem or difficulty with her. Staff are very clear what they would do if they witnessed poor practice. People who live in the house are clear about what to do if they have a complaint or a problem.
Some members of staff feel that the level of staffing is adequate. Others think that with another member of staff it would be possible to do more with the residents, possibly to join them on activities.
Staff spoke very positively about training and access to training. They feel that they are very encouraged to undertake training courses and time is made available for their development, this includes; NVQs (National Vocational Qualification), conflict management, medication training, leadership training, and an activities course.