** Open Day at Holly Lodge **

Holly Lodge our Award-winning Dementia Care Home in Frimley are hosting an open day on Thursday 18th April, 10am - 5pm.
If you are considering care options now or in the future, why not pop along?

Click here to register your interest

Help & Advice

Choosing a care home can be a difficult and emotional process, here is a little help & advice to aid your decision

Friends & Family Work for Us
Types of care All-inclusive Fees Choosing a care home Funding Options Frequently Asked Questions

Types of care

  • Nursing

    Nursing care may be required for people who have suffered a stroke or have physical disabilities or other ongoing medical conditions. All our care homes have qualified nurses onsite 24-hours a day.

  • Residential

    Residential care provides comfort and security when living at home may be lonely or when support is needed with daily living such as help with washing and dressing. All our care homes provide 24-hour residential care.

  • Dementia

    Dementia is a complicated condition, which manifests in many ways and where symptoms will generally progress over time. Our staff have completed additional training to support residents living with dementia. We provide 24-hour dementia care at our Holly Lodge and Rowan Lodge care homes.

  • Respite

    Respite care is a short-term arrangement to enable someone to convalesce after a stay in hospital or to give their current carer(s) a break. Respite care can also serve as a ‘trial run’ before committing to a home as a long-term solution. All our care homes provide respite care for a minimum 4-week period.

All Inclusive fees

There are no deposits or hidden costs with a Forest Care home. There are also no additional costs for our complementary therapies such as hairdressing, physiotherapy, chiropody and day trips.

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Why choose Forest Care?

  • Family-owned and managed company

    Forest Care has been caring since 1981. This means we run our homes with a breadth of experience and industry knowledge, combined with a family approach to care and management.

  • Life led by residents' choice

    We listen to our residents’ feedback and wherever possible we strive to add a personal touch to the care we provide and the activities available.

  • More staff than the industry standard

    We intentionally hire more staff than the industry average to enable us to offer a more relaxed environment for our residents, where our staff have time to deliver person-centred care.

  • Complementary therapies

    We endeavour to look after residents’ physical and medical needs, as well as their social, mental, and emotional well-being. Although physiotherapy, hairdressing and chiropody are not regulatory requirements, we believe they form an integral part of our care and should be provided at no additional cost.

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Funding Options

The cost of care can be a concern for many people, but different funding options may be available depending on the resident’s financial circumstances and particular care needs.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Our weekly fees depend on individual needs and they are based on a comprehensive pre-admission assessment. Fees are quoted as ‘gross weekly’, which means they are the total you will be asked to pay. The NHS Registered Nursing Care Contribution (also known as Free Nursing Care) will be applied for if relevant and refunded to you if and when awarded. Your on-going weekly fees will then be reduced by the rate of FNC at the time.

Our weekly fee includes everything required to keep a resident comfortable, well cared for and safe:

  • Private en-suite bedroom.
  • Heating and lighting.
  • Daily meals, drinks, snacks and refreshments.
  • Access to and use of any aids and/or appliances according to individual needs, including hoists, wheelchairs and walking aids.
  • All property taxes levied on the Home, including Council Tax and water rates.
  • Laundry service.
  • Care and support from qualified staff to help with daily living in line with the resident’s agreed plan of care.
  • Use of communal lounges and facilities.
  • Access to and use of communal grounds/gardens.

In addition to this, basic hairdressing, physiotherapy and chiropody are included as we believe they are integral to a resident’s health and wellbeing.

Our weekly fees do not include:

  • Newspapers and periodicals.
  • Purchase of new clothes and toiletries.
  • Perms, hair colouring and specialist nail/feet treatments.
  • Dry cleaning.
  • Non-NHS health services and treatment by dentists or opticians, including any aids and appliances a resident chooses to purchase privately.
  • Non-prescription medication.
  • Social and travel costs for privately arranged trips.
  • Private telephone costs.
  • Visitors’ meals and overnight accommodation.

As a rule, no we don’t. Local Authority fees are usually significantly lower than our standard weekly fees and we would normally only accept payment from a Local Authority in combination with a third party ‘top-up’ payment or if the Local Authority agrees to meet our full fees.

Generally, most people entering a nursing home should be eligible. Following admission to the home, and with your consent, we will apply for Free Nursing Care on your behalf. An NHS Assessor may then arrange a visit to make a separate assessment.

Yes, we always advise residents to have a small amount of money available that will cover incidental costs, such as buying toiletries or for trips out.

Our expectation is that you have sufficient funds available to pay the homes full fees for at least 2 years. If your funds run out, the Local Authority will normally offer to pay for your care at their rates, subject to a financial needs assessment. In this situation we would not normally accept the Local Authority rate unless a third party top-up payment was also available and would instead seek to negotiate a higher rate with the Local Authority.

Yes, providing your existing GP is relatively local to the home and is prepared to continue looking after you and to visit the home on request. We also have an exclusive arrangement with a GP practice local to each of our homes, ensuring consistency and quality of care.

Definitely. As long as there are no medical reasons that might prevent this, we always encourage trips out and know how much our residents enjoy a change of scene. All we ask is that you let us know in advance so we can ensure they are properly prepared and that we know roughly when to expect them back.

We intentionally hire more staff than the industry average to enable a relaxed environment for our residents where staff can deliver person-centred care. This excludes each home’s domestic, catering, laundry, activities and management staff and can vary at any given time depending on the individual needs of our residents.

We never restrict visiting to specific hours and visitors are welcome at any time. However, visitors should be aware that there are certain times of the day when staff will be particularly busy, such as meal times. Residents are also free to get up or go to bed when it suits them, and they can choose who they want to see. If you are in any doubt of when best to visit, please call the home.

We provide a diverse and inclusive activities programme adapted to the daily wishes of residents from arts & crafts, pampering days, themed tea parties and live music to intergenerational activities with local schools, visiting entertainers, Pets as Therapy, and organised day trips. All residents have the choice of taking part. For those who are less able we provide one-to-one activities such as hand massages, games and reading.

 

 

Yes. A little pampering makes everyone feel good, which is why these services are included in our weekly fees. The hairdresser visits weekly and the chiropodist every 6 weeks. This covers basic hairdressing and chiropody, it excludes perms, colouring and specialist nail/feet treatments.

Yes. Each resident has an individual care plan, which includes food choices and dietary needs. We work closely with each resident – and will consult with family and friends – to find out their likes/dislikes. Residents can choose from several options at each mealtime. We will always try to provide a suitable alternative if the options are not preferable.

We cater for specific dietary needs, including soft or puréed, diabetic, and allergenic. Individual requirements will be established on admission to the home and reviewed as necessary. We work hard to ensure our menus are balanced and nutritious, and meals are produced onsite using fresh ingredients every day.

Of course, but please be aware that it may not be possible to accommodate large items of furniture. Our bedrooms are furnished and cover all the basic needs for storage and comfort, but we always encourage residents to bring something of their own to personalise their room, to help them settle in and feel more at home.

Please contact the home you are considering and our staff will be happy to chat through any questions you may have. Better still, why not arrange a visit? Please call 0333 305 1785 or email enquiries@forestcare.co.uk to arrange a private viewing.

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