Edinburgh care home awarded top marks by Care Inspectorate

A FAMILY-owned care home can lay claim to being one of the best in Edinburgh, after becoming one of the only care homes in the city to score a rarely awarded six out of six, following an annual inspection by the sector watchdog.  

Cluny Lodge Care Home, owned by Elder Homes Ltd, received top marks for supporting the wellbeing of its residents and staff in its most recent Care Inspectorate report. 

Scored as ‘excellent’, the highest mark awarded, the report commended the home’s excellent health and wellbeing outcomes, co-production and the relationships between staff, residents, and relatives.  

The care home has a holistic approach contributing to the high health and wellbeing outcomes of the residents. In addition to the usual roles it takes to make a care home work well, the team also includes in-house physiotherapists, social & leisure team and nutritional support workers.  

Marcela Patriche, Care Homes Manager at Elder homes, said: “We really believe that elderly living should come with a purpose, as moving into a care home should be a new chapter in your life. 

“This outstanding inspection result reflects our team’s commitment to providing truly person-centred care.  

“I continue to be amazed by the outstanding feedback from our staff, residents and families. We’re all so proud of the work we do creating an at home environment whilst providing high quality care. 

“We work with our residents and staff to innovate new ways of enhancing wellbeing and quality of life, and it’s so rewarding to have this reflected in such a glowing report.” 

With over 180 members of staff, many of whom have worked for the care home for over 20 years, the care home is able to consistently provide one on one care meeting the residents’ varying needs. The home has a dedicated training team, ensuring each team memberfrom senior leadership to support staff, receive dementia awareness and role specific training.  

The report also scored Cluny Lodge’s leadership as ‘very good’, highlighting that staff were provided with regular support and supervision, whilst praising the care homes inclusion of family representatives in quality and improvement-based discussions.   

Residents at Cluny Lodge, and sister care home, Chamberlain, have access to a wide range of activities, outings, concerts, and events aimed at providing social, mental, and physical stimulation. The home also provides one-on-one interactions that help residents maintain connections to their local community. 

In addition to social events, the care home utilises innovative technologies including electronic medication dispensaries and Artificial Intelligence to assess pain levels to assist in managing the use of pain medication.   

The Morningside care home is currently home to 65 residents, who come from a wide range of backgrounds, all of whom receive 24-hour care who according to the Inspectorate are receiving the best care possible. 

Driven by a personal need for exceptional later in life care, Loren and Julie Hufstetler established the family-run Elder Homes in 1984. For almost 40 years, Elder Homes has provided individualised support and compassionate service to seniors requiring assistance with daily living. 

The full inspection took place in August, and the full report can be found here: https://www.carehomeedinburgh.co.uk/docs/cluny-inspection-report.pdf  

To find out more about Elder Homes, please visit: 

https://www.carehomeedinburgh.co.uk/