A care home business, Grove Residential Home, has hit the headlines across the world for its pioneering work creating a ‘Memory Lane’ of fifties-style shops to help elderly residents fight the devastating effects of memory loss and dementia is celebrating its latest achievement.
Grove Care has been informed that its Grove Residential Home in Winterbourne near Bristol has been awarded an Outstanding rating following an unannounced Care Quality Commission inspection in May. Across the UK, just one per cent of care homes achieve an outstanding rating.
Director Christopher Taylor is thrilled with the overall rating – which looked at the home’s safety record, the effectiveness of its care, responsiveness and leadership.
He said: 
“At our previous inspection we were rated Good – it’s great to see the new report registers the improvements we have made across our service in the meantime. The Grove is directly next door to our Nursing Home, Blossom Fields, which has been rated as Outstanding for the last 18 months. To have two homes next door to each other both with an outstanding rating is pretty special.”
Christopher Taylor said Blossom Fields and the Grove had added a new shop to their successful ‘Memory Lane’ shopping rank.
“Sun Records is our record shop in which residents can go inside and select an LP and then play it on the record player – very much in keeping with the original Memory Lane concept which included a Post Office, shop, bus stop a pub and even a fifties phone box, complete with the original telephone exchange instructions.”
The inspection, carried out by Inspector Wendy Kirby, found that people were relaxed, comfortable and confident in their home.
The report went on:
“There was a strong sense of empowering people wherever possible and providing facilities where independence would be encouraged and celebrated. People’s Health, well-being and safety were paramount.”
Christopher Taylor went on:
“We have always tried to be innovative in improving the facilities or our residents. Memory Lane helps people suffering with Dementia interact with their friends and families.”
