Praise for Bognor care home’s stellar end of life team at care accolades

The team at Albany House Care Home, which was recently rated outstanding by the Care and Quality Commission, cares for vulnerable people with mental health difficulties.

Judges of the West Sussex Partners in Care awards noted staff had gone the extra mile to fulfill residents wishes such as seeing a ballet, virtual reality safari and reconnecting with family.

The manager stayed at the home for seven days and nights and staff camped out in resident bedrooms because they didn’t want to be alone.

The end of life team, pictured recieving the award, also arranged funerals, memorials, wrote and read eulogy’s and the home even paid for one residents’ funeral.

Manager Sara Hornsey said the team was ‘one in a million’.

She said “I am so proud of my team at Albany, we come in and do our ‘job’ each day, even though it doesn’t feel much like a job! It feels like being at home with family.

“I am surrounded by people who truly care and want to make a difference to residents lives, they inspire me to try harder each day.

“Our first priority is always the residents it is them that we do eveything for, not awards or CQC ratings, so to be recognised for outstanding care and management to the residents is fantastic as it means they are getting what they deserve.”

The care home won all three awards that it was shortlisted for this year in the awards, hosted by West Sussex County Council’s director of adult services, Paul McKay.

Sara herself was recognised with the Registered Managers accolade for her ‘compassion and commitment’, while Lilly Hill won the Care Home Worker Accolade, for ‘lifting the mood’ as she will ‘always be found making someone smile’.