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Location of Newbridge Towers
Newbridge Towers is a quirky residential care home situated just outside the city of Bath. Very much at odds with the Georgian architecture the city is famed for, Newbridge Towers was designed by a French count in 1900 and resembles a grand châteaux. It was converted into flats in the 1950s, before being transformed into a care home in 1983.
Cut into the hillside, it has spectacular views over the city and surrounding area. The home extends over four floors, has a small garden to the front and extensive land to the back. Unfortunately, the rear garden cannot be used by the residents due to the steepness of the hill.
CSCI report and cost
Although Newbridge Towers was last inspected in November 2007, it does not have an official CSCI rating. However, the home received consistently good scores in all categories of the inspection and was praised for its “friendly and relaxed atmosphere” and “flexible” daily routines.
A bed at Newbridge Towers costs between £425 and £475 depending on the size, and whether it is an en suite.
Manager’s view
Lynne Price has been the manager at Newbridge Towers for the past nine years, and has 23 years experience of working with the elderly. Keen to promote a ‘can-do’ attitude in the home, she’s involved in every aspect of life and encourages staff to undertake a variety of roles:
“As the manager you should be able to do every body else’s role, but as a team we all work together. If we’re a bit low, we all muck in, and we all know everybody else’s roles.”
As well as instilling a strong work ethic, Lynne has introduced a management team to the home, providing structure and support and allowing her to delegate. “When I first started, it was all hands on,” she says. “But now I’m more office based – although I still help out when needed.”
Life in Newbridge Towers
Newbridge Towers is a small care home and the emphasis of daily life is on flexibility. The home timetables activities on a daily basis, but gives the residents a choice on the day as to what they would like to do. This often means two or three different activities are running at the same time.
Daily activities include skittles, exercises, memory games, bingo, board games and film days.
Lynne also encourages one-to-one time between carers and residents to promote a family feel.
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