Specialist Dementia Care
Moorside is a purpose-built specialist dementia care nursing home situated close to the heart of Winchester City Centre. We developed Moorside with the intention of providing high quality care for mentally frail older people, particularly those with dementia. It is a safe, light and airy building with our staff providing a bright welcome. Moorside won a design award for outstanding innovation when it opened in 1996.
Moorside is registered to provide accommodation for up to 31 older people who require nursing or personal care, and provides long-term care, short stay respite care for people living in the community.
The home is registered with the Care Quality Commission and has been rated as ‘good’ in all categories. Click here to see our latest inspection report.
Facilities
The accommodation at Moorside is arranged into four suites for up to eight people, each of which seeks to provide a smaller ‘home within a home.’ Each suite has a separate dining room, lounge and kitchenette which provides people with a small and homely environment within the larger home.
Great care has been taken in designing the building to help orientation so that residents can readily identify their own rooms and the communal areas which support them. A bathroom serves each suite.
There is an attractive secure garden to the rear of the home which backs onto the river, and our Winchester Lounge is a large and comfortable activities room and day centre on the ground floor.
Each of the 31 bedrooms has a fitted wardrobe and is equipped with a variable height bed and a bedside locker. Long stay residents are then invited to introduce their own furniture and possessions to give a personal identity to their rooms. All but two of the rooms have en-suite facilities.
We have a well equipped kitchen with award-winning chefs, and care is taken in planning menus which reflect individual choice and dietary requirements. All laundry is washed within the home and dealt with in-house. There is a hairdressing and beauty salon and a visiting hairdresser. We also have a treatment room for visiting doctors and chiropodists.
Care
Within each suite the staff provide a comprehensive range of care in a homely non-institutional setting which allows residents as much independence as possible. We believe in holistic care for our residents which values them as individuals living with dementia. Individual care plans are prepared for all residents after admission and are reviewed regularly so that each resident’s care reflects their own individual needs.
Led by an experienced, highly qualified Matron (link), the staff at Moorside work as a close, skilful and friendly team, all striving to deliver care of the highest standards to residents. We have a Clinical Lead Nurse and a Dementia Nurse along with Registered Mental Health and General Nurses supported by a Principal Care Assistant, Senior Care Assistants and Care Assistants. We invest heavily in our staff learning and development to ensure everyone has the skills, knowledge and competence needed to deliver a high standard of compassionate care to improve the lives of our residents.
Prospective residents are likely to have any of the following conditions arising from organic or functional illness although organic illness is likely to predominate:
confused behaviour arising from Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias
mental disorder arising from other degenerative diseases or head injury
depression arising from mental or physical illness
paranoia
anxiety states.
The home is registered with the Care Quality Commission and has been rated as ‘good’ in all categories. Click here to see our latest inspection report.
Activities
We have an energetic and committed activities team of staff and volunteers. They do a wonderful job arranging activities, events, trips and entertainment for our residents, always ensuring that they’re safe and appropriate for people with dementia.
We believe in the great value of recreational activities for people living with dementia, and so we gently encourage residents to participate as far as they are able. A regular programme of activities is organised for residents, and a list of current activities is always available. Typical activities include reminiscence music therapy and scent library to stimulate memory, gardening, games, crafts and sensory stimulation. In addition we hold afternoon tea parties, enjoy professional entertainment and hold church services.
We organise at least two trips out each month to nearby places of interest including the local garden centre and Winnall Moors Nature Reserve. Residents are transported in our minibus, accompanied by our ever-willing team of staff and volunteers.
Mealtimes
Here at Moorside, we know that mealtimes are a really important part of the day. It’s very important when caring for people living with dementia that they receive nutritionally balanced, tasty food, served appropriately, pureed and soft for those who need it.
Our Chef, Muthu Kannon, creates a daily selection of delicious foods. Care is taken in planning menus which reflect individual choice and dietary requirements. We enjoy regular barbeques, buffets and picnics whenever the weather permits, and our afternoon teas are always particularly popular.
People living with dementia can benefit from a flexible approach to eating, so there are snacks available to people throughout the day and staff actively encourage people to eat and help them if needed. Residents have a choice of dishes, and staff help them make their decisions if required. The team at Moorside are encouraged to eat with residents at each mealtime to engender a sense of family.
We are always happy to cater for special diets and personal preferences, and are pleased to celebrate birthdays and other special occasions, welcoming family and friends to join us.
Suggest a run-down of the day’s routines and typical food options, info coming from Deborah.
Admission Criteria
Admission Criteria
The charity is governed by a Charity Commission scheme under which we provide care for older people in financial and other need. Places at Moorside are available to local people who qualify for Hampshire County Council funded care. These fees are heavily subsidised by the charity and therefore a financial assessment as well as a care assessment must be made in respect of all applications for accommodation.
(a) Long Stay
All residents must be admitted based on criteria laid down by the charity trustees and long stay applicants have to complete and return an application form. An assessment will be made of their needs and will involve a home or hospital visit.
In considering applications and prioritising admissions, we pay particular attention to financial need and an applicant’s other needs which will involve considering the level of care provided by the home and existing care support.
We must give priority to residents in our existing housing and because of this the number of long stay places that become available is limited.
(b) Short Stay
One bed within Moorside is kept available for short stay admissions to offer respite or convalescent care, both for existing almshouse residents of the charity and applicants from the wider community. Subject to availability and liaison with matron, these are usually available for periods of one to four weeks.
Applicants for short stay beds have to satisfy the charity’s needs criteria as set out above. An application form has therefore to be completed. In cases of hospital discharge or acute admissions it is recognised that speedy decisions can be required and applications will be processed as quickly as possible.
For an application form please click here.
Charges
Charges are usually reviewed annually with effect from 1st April.
Assistance in payment of all, or part of, these fees may be available from Social Services and we will gladly give advice about seeking financial support.
Respite services are available both to Social Services funded residents, and private, self-funding residents. Please get in touch to find out more.
How to Apply
Because the charity provides subsidised care and accommodation for those of limited means, applicants need to complete a financial assessment to evaluate their finances.
You can download the application form here, or telephone or call into the office to collect one. Alternatively we can post a copy to you. We need the branded form.
Tel: 01962 854226
Email: office@stjohnswinchester.co.uk
St John’s Winchester
32 St John’s South
The Broadway
Winchester
Hampshire
SO23 9LN
We currently have (no) dementia long-term care vacancies. (Updateable)
We currently have (no) dementia respite care vacancies. (Updateable)
Please get in touch if you have any queries or would like to apply for care services at Moorside.
