Why Abbey Care
Abbey Care has been providing care at home in Mid Sussex since 1997.
Local and family-run since 1997
We are a family-run company, and Mike and Jenny have both been part of Abbey Care for more than 20 years. They remain closely involved in the day-to-day running of the service.
That involvement isn't limited to managing things from the office. When needed, they still put on their uniforms and go out to support clients themselves.
We have deliberately remained local, providing care within a relatively small area of Mid Sussex rather than spreading our care team across a much wider area.
For us, being family-run and local isn't really about the label. What matters is being close enough to what is happening to respond when something needs attention.
An experienced care team and familiar faces
A good care service depends on the people walking through the front door.
More than half of our current care workers have been with Abbey Care for over five years.
In our history, Abbey Care has never needed to use agency care workers. Our clients are supported by Abbey Care's own care team.
We aim to provide familiar care workers who have the opportunity to get to know the client, their routines and how they like their care to be provided.
Someone receiving several visits every day will naturally need a larger team than someone having occasional care, so we can't promise the same care worker for every visit. What we aim for is familiarity and continuity rather than a succession of unfamiliar faces.
When arranging care, we also think about the match between people. Experience and competencies matter, but so do personality, communication and individual preferences.
And sometimes two people simply don't click. If something about the match isn't working, we would much rather know so that we can see what we can do to improve it.
We notice – and act
Care isn't just about completing the tasks written in a care plan.
Before they leave, our care workers ask if there's anything else they can help with. It might be watering the plants or taking a letter to the post, the simple things someone would do for themselves if they could. If it becomes something that's needed regularly, we'll add it to the care plan.
Because our care workers spend time with clients in their own homes, they may notice when something has changed.
Someone might be eating less than usual, seem more confused, be finding it harder to move around, appear unwell or simply not seem quite themselves.
Our experienced care workers know what to look out for and raise concerns if something doesn't seem right.
That information comes back to the office team so that it can be followed up rather than simply being recorded in the care notes.
What happens next depends on the situation. We may speak to the client or their family, keep an eye on something, contact the GP or another healthcare professional, or discuss whether the care being provided needs to change.
Sometimes it can be something very practical. A care worker might notice a new trip hazard, that food isn't being eaten as expected or that an everyday task has suddenly become more difficult.
Getting to know a client and their usual routines and abilities can make it easier to recognise when something has changed.
“Turn up on time and adapt to my changing needs. Once briefed will help with things like plant pot watering. Keeping back step clear so I don’t slip.”
From our client survey
“Impressed you are vigilant, reporting workmen arriving or anything irregular. Thank you.”
From our client survey
Communication that joins the care together
Good communication between the client, care workers and office team is an important part of how we provide care.
If a care worker finds a particular approach that works well, that information can be shared with the office and reflected in the care plan so that the wider care team knows about it.
If circumstances change, the care can be reviewed. And if a family member contacts us with something they would like checked during the next visit, that information can be passed on too.
With the appropriate consent or authority, family members can also have access to Birdie, our care management system, where they can see upcoming visits and information recorded about care that has been provided.
The aim is for useful information to reach the people who need it, rather than each care visit happening in isolation.
“Extremely reliable: this is ensured through excellent communication between carers and the office, and totally ‘client focussed’ attitude from the management.”
From our client survey
Care that can change with you
The care someone needs now may not be the care they need in six months, six weeks or even next week.
Some clients start with one or two visits a week and gradually need more help. Others need considerably more care following an illness or hospital stay and are able to reduce their visits as they recover.
Family circumstances can change too. There may be times when some additional care would help because a family carer is away or something unexpected has happened.
Existing clients and families can call the office when something changes and talk it through with us. Subject to availability, we can often arrange additional visits at short notice, change what happens during a visit or review the care package more generally.
And when someone becomes more independent, we don’t assume that the same level of care should simply continue. We can reduce the support as well as increase it.
Straightforward arrangements
Circumstances don’t always change gradually.
Someone may go into hospital unexpectedly, spend some time away from home or reach the point where Abbey Care is no longer needed.
We don’t believe that should mean continuing to pay for visits simply to retain care with us while someone is in hospital or away for a period of time.
And if care is no longer needed, clients aren’t tied into a long-term commitment.
We try to keep the arrangements straightforward so that the care can fit around the person’s circumstances rather than the other way round.
Back row, from left: Joanne, Suzie, Diane and Lisa. Front row, from left: Jenny, Mike and Mary.
The people who arrange your care
When you call Abbey Care, you'll speak to one of our Registered Managers or Care Coordinators.
Talk to the people who arrange the care
If you're considering care and want to find out whether Abbey Care might be right for you, give us a call.
You can talk directly to a Manager or one of our Care Coordinators about what is happening, ask questions and find out how we may be able to help.
If you decide you would like to explore care further, we can arrange a free, no-obligation assessment.