Care Agencies within my local area. (MY post code is SE 18 4 DS ) - Essay Example

Field Study- Care Agencies within my Local Area The area of south London, particularly around Woolwich and Greenwich has undergone recent development to bring in more local employers and economic growth. It is in redevelopment for 2012 Olympic events such as shooting events. It was once a military region and remains a university centre, with some older generations. I have chosen Mental Health Nursing as my main study due to my interest in psychology and the human mind, with an emphasis on residential care agencies.

The human mind is fragile, yet strong with the ability to heal after various traumas. It requires help and understanding of someone who is willing to listen and find they underlying cause whether physical, health related, or psychological in nature. There are ten care agencies in my area including Homeleigh Residential, Plumstead Lodge, and Sunbury Lodge. Homeleigh Residential Care Home offers five beds in Shooters Hill for mental health, excluding learning disabilities or dementia. The main focus of this facility is to provide support and rehabilitation to a small number of adults with mental health problems.

It is a private facility that focuses on behaviour and forensic psychiatric history. Any patient who registers at this care agency will be supervised during their recovery and released once recovery has occurred from the mental illness. Long term recovery options are not provided by Homeleigh Residential Care. They focus on patients who have a high degree of success in completely recovering from a mental illness. The accommodation is clean and furnished to a high standard. There are five bedrooms, dining area, kitchen, bathroom, communal area, quiet room, games room, and laundry.

Most patients at this facility are able to function, but seek supervision and personal treatment. The facility is inspected regularly by the CQC to ensure it is up to UK health standards. As a small facility, it provides better mental health care than an outpatient or larger facility would. It is more expensive than other care agencies. Homeleigh Residential Care Home is available to those with mental illnesses, with private funds to support the necessary treatment, when a bed is available. The low number of beds creates a waiting list or a need to seek an alternate care facility, which is one of its weaknesses.

Its strength is in the personal care and supervision that is at a higher standard given its size. Plumstead Lodge is also a non-profit care agency with voluntary support provided through Avante Care and Support. Conditions cared for at Plumstead Lodge include older generations, people with learning disabilities, mental disabilities and people with dementia. It is a longer stay facility, though they do allow for short stay and respite. The homer accommodates 53 residents and 55 single rooms. The building was converted into a care agency with a garden in 1997.

Two of the rooms can be used by family or friends who stay overnight to be with their loved ones. Plumstead Lodge encourages family to be involved with members at the facility. They also encourage residents to bring their furniture and pets to make it feel more like home. The ability of workers at Plumstead Lodge to handle long term mental illnesses like dementia places it above the short stay facility of Homeleigh Residential Care in terms of variety. The centre also caters to more individuals allowing for better social interaction, though supervisors also have to work with larger groups of people which can lead to issues such as safety.

Sunbury Lodge is another Avante Care and Support agency in Woolwich area. It has 47 beds in single rooms with a garden. Like Plumstead Lodge, Sunbury Lodge caters to older generations, learning disabled, mental disability, and dementia patients. It is a long term care facility, with short stay options. It has the same weakness in size as Plumstead Lodge, but again offers more interaction with a community society of those with similar mental illnesses. Plumstead and Sunbury Lodge provide care for long term mental illnesses, which require round the clock care and supervision.

Homeleigh Residential Home Care is a smaller scale care agency for privacy and mental illness recovery. As a short stay facility, guests can heal with four other members to still be part of a community, without feeling increased pressure. The knowledge I have gained on my study of local care facilities will help me as a future nurse in mental health nursing because it has led to my understanding of the types of care facilities and that these different facilities may require different tasks from me, such as a more one on one setting as opposed to group interactions.

Bibliography CQC . (2010, June 30). Homeleigh Residential Care Home. Retrieved July 13, 2011, from Care Quality Commission: http://www.cqc.org.uk/registeredservicesdirectory/RSSearchDetail.asp?ID=0000066459&Type=CRH Elderly Accommodation Counsel. (2008, April 28). Plumstead Lodge. Retrieved July 13, 2011, from Housing Care: http://www.housingcare.org/housing-care/facility-info-143119-plumstead-lodge-london-england.aspx Elderly Accommodation Counsel. (2008, April 28). Sunbury Lodge. Retrieved July 13, 2011, from Housing Care: http://www.

housingcare.org/housing-care/facility-info-146457-sunbury-lodge-greenwich-england.aspx