By Kevin Burke, Director of Quality & Care Home Operations at Guild Care

If you’re considering a move into permanent care for a loved one, hearing from people who have been on this journey, and understanding what led them to the decision, can be a great source of comfort. These individual experiences give you a feel for what a good care home should look like and what to expect once your loved one has settled in. To provide an inside look at what being part of the Guild Care family is like, we spoke to Joy, a 92-year-old resident at Haviland House – our specialist dementia care home in Worthing – and her daughter Sue. 

Joy moved into Haviland in March 2022 and currently lives in Angmering – one of five separate households in the home that cater for people living through different stages of dementia. She has been diagnosed with an unspecified form of dementia, which currently affects her short-term memory.

Joy’s daughter, Sue, lives in Australia and explains the family’s decision to move Joy into care: “We were lucky to have amazing family and friends who helped when Mum’s husband passed away. “Whenever Mum was very ill, I used to fly over to look after her for up to six months at a time. We were also regularly in contact via phone and Skype, but with Mum living alone and the family so far away, the obvious choice to ensure she was safe was to move her into care.

Once Joy arrived at Haviland House, she felt at home right away. A self-confessed ‘party-girl from a party-family’, there’s little she misses out on. Joy takes full advantage of the many weekly activities – including baking, crafting, exercise sessions, cinema club, Church and communion services, sing-alongs and local mini-bus outings.

Whenever she wants some alone time, you’ll find Joy honing her knitting skills. She also adores visits from our Pets as Therapy dogs, which she says remind her of her golden retriever, Sandy. “I’ve made lots of friends here – we’re just one big happy family and we have lots of fun”, says Joy. “You’ll find there’s always something happening and if you’re not the first in the room, you’ll miss the front row seat! I genuinely feel well respected – and the food is good too!”

Joy’s daughter also expresses her relief at knowing her mum is well cared for, as the home keeps in regular contact with her: “We are in a wonderful position of knowing not only is Mum safe, but also that she’s having fun and living a happy life again. That is due to the amazing care and staff at Haviland House.”

To find out more about our homes, please call 01903 327327 or email [email protected]