Reflections on an unprecedented year in the life of a care home
Owner of Birchwood House and Care Services, Niral Patel, provides his personal reflections on the last 9 months of 2020, says thank you to staff, and shares how he continues to be optimistic in the run-up to Christmas.
As the daylight hours get shorter and the outside temperatures slowly lower, I thought it was a good time to reflect on the past 9 months at Birchwood and share with you how we continue to be positive for the future. As you will no doubt be aware, the care home and home care service industry has, arguably, been one of the most challenging sectors to work in since the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic. But by having an ‘ahead of the curve’ mentality and strategy, we’ve been successful in ensuring our residents and staff continue to live and work in a safe and secure environment. My staff deserve my heartfelt thanks and huge credit for delivering a first-class, personal service to all our residents and home care clients.
Staff have had to step up and make huge personal sacrifices
Where many disciplines have and could transfer to working from home, my staff have had to take on huge personal responsibility and sacrifices to adapt to new guidelines and safety procedures 24 hours a day, not just during their working hours, but in their home life too. Their round the clock vigilance and professionalism to stringent hygiene and safety practices have ensured our care delivery has not been compromised. I am very proud of their commitment to our residents’ and clients’ safety and well-being. With our decision to restrict outside visits from external service professionals, they have adapted and taken on new roles in the process. They’ve enhanced their own abilities, uncovered new skills and now can provide services some of us take for granted. For example, we now have a dedicated in-house hairdresser ensuring residents can maintain the hairstyles they have become accustomed to as well as feel a little pampered. So, I wanted to personally say a big thank you to all.
Safe and secure visiting area
I’m also proud to be able to say we’ve continued safe and secure family visits for our residents, with up to 3 visits scheduled every day in our secure meeting area. With alignment with all government and health guidelines, our residents have been able to stay in contact with their nearest and dearest for up to 20 mins per meeting. Very early on it occurred to me how integral it was for the residents’ well-being to maintain face to face contact, so we were able to instigate this in June. It’s certainly helped to maintain high spirits for all and we hope to do everything we can to continue these in the weeks and months ahead.
For any new residents arriving at Birchwood, we are providing an extra, dedicated member of the care team to support them as they settle in. With families unable to be present during their arrival for safety reasons, our extra support ensures the family receive added assurance they are in good hands.
Keeping spirits high indoors
With both Halloween and a recent Guy Fawkes night celebrated, it’s always a special time of year now coming up to Christmas and we are planning to hold as many of the festivities for all our residents and clients. We’re also exploring ideas to maintain links with the local community and charities but more to come on those plans in December.
I’m proud of everything we’ve achieved here at Birchwood this year, both within our Care Home in Speldhurst, Birchwood House, and from our care in the community, through Birchwood Care Services. Every member of staff and all the partners we’ve worked with (and there are far too many to list) have gone beyond the call of duty and provided exceptional care during this extraordinary year.
If you have any questions about Birchwood please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me and I’d be happy to talk to you. In the meantime, thank you again to my staff, thank you for reading and hope you are all staying safe and secure.
Other articles you may like
- Rainy day activities: bringing the fun indoors!
2026 has got off to quite a rainy start! It’s been reported for being particularly wet and gloomy, and there’s a long history behind the UK’s (rainy) weather. Sometimes, when it rains this hard, we have a ‘lazy day’. We choose to stay inside, have more lie ins, and wrap up under a blanket. This can be a great way to recharge your batteries and get some much-needed rest. But what if it’s always raining? Long stretches of wet weather can cause low mood, reduced motivation, and a sense of isolation, especially when social gatherings start to get cancelled. To combat this, here’s some rainy-day activities designed to lift the mood and help make our days more fun: - Music for dementia care
Music is universally loved, and for good reason. It brings people together across cultures, languages, generations, and identities. For those with dementia, music can be particularly important. Music for dementia care offers support and an alternative form of communication. It can redirect moods, help set a routine, and evoke familiar memories. But why is it that music is so beneficial? And how can it help us connect with our loved ones? - Finding community at Christmas
As we’re wrapping up 2025, we’re getting ready for all the incoming festivities. A big turkey, carol singing, and strolling through the markets are just some of the ways we’ve been enjoying the season. - Helping loved ones celebrate autumn
Christmas may be creeping up on us, but we’re not done celebrating autumn yet! It’s truly such a special season, filled with cosy nights and feel-good food. We want to make sure our clients are able to make the most of what this season has to offer. There are so many indoor and outdoor activities to help get in the spirit, and we’re here to help you get involved. Whether it’s a walk or an activity, we can support you however works best! - World Mental Health Day: how can we support our loved ones?
There is no health without mental health. It’s something that impacts every day of our lives in how we think, feel, and act. And yet for years, it’s been placed under a stigma, and awareness of mental health has continually been scrutinised. - How can we help older people learn new technology?
Community-building can be changing. What once used to be a face-to-face connection is now expanding to more online settings; think FaceTime, virtual events, and Facebook groups. And with more than one in three people over 65 lacking the skills needed to use the internet, there’s a real danger that our older loved ones may be missing out on opportunities to connect with the world around them. Helping relatives learn new technology is not just a helpful thing to do, but is so important in combatting social isolation, and reducing loneliness. - Creating a dementia friendly home
Dementia can be scary, both for the person with a diagnosis, and for anyone affected by that diagnosis. It can be caused by a variety of diseases and injuries that affect the brain, bringing memory loss, cognitive decline, and a loss of identity. - Good Care Month: Why carers are essential to the community
Good Care Month: Why carers are essential to the community July is officially Good Care Month, which means it’s a time to celebrateContinue reading “Good Care Month: Why carers are essential to the community “ - Protecting adults at risk: a closed culture is a poor culture.
Protecting adults at risk: a closed culture is a poor culture. When it comes to protecting adults at risk, it is essential toContinue reading “Protecting adults at risk: a closed culture is a poor culture. “
