Enter & View: West Lodge
On 11 November 2025, Healthwatch Nottingham and Nottinghamshire carried out an Enter and View visit to West Lodge Care Home to understand residents’ lived experiences, with a particular focus on spiritual and cultural life, social connection, and emotional wellbeing. Overall, the visit found a warm, inclusive, and caring environment where residents feel safe, respected, and well supported by a compassionate and culturally diverse staff team. While many examples of good practice were observed, a small number of practical issues were identified that, if addressed, could further enhance residents’ day-to-day quality of life.
About the Report
Key Findings
- Residents consistently described staff as kind, attentive, and respectful, contributing strongly to feelings of safety and wellbeing.
- Spiritual and cultural needs are well supported, including faith visits, cultural celebrations, and access to culturally appropriate food.
- The diversity of the staff team enhances residents’ sense of inclusion and understanding.
- Most residents feel involved in decisions about their daily routines and social life, with encouragement to maintain family contact and friendships.
- Some residents with higher levels of independence reported feeling bored or under-stimulated at times.
- Technical issues (such as a faulty TV and lack of subtitles) and an out-of-date activities planner limited engagement for some residents.
- Adjusting to life in a care home remains emotionally challenging for some residents, particularly those who do not engage in communal activities.
Recommendations
- Update and maintain dementia-friendly menu displays so images accurately reflect daily meal choices.
- Repair or replace the main lounge TV and enable subtitles as standard to improve accessibility and enjoyment.
- Keep the activities planner up to date and introduce simple, regular structured activities to support stimulation, particularly for more independent residents.
- Develop more personalised engagement approaches for residents who choose not to participate in communal activities, to support emotional wellbeing and reduce isolation.
"The management and staff found this experience informative and rewarding for us and for our lovely residents."
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Enter & View: West Lodge Report
