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Last updated 27 February 2025
What to expect from a respite care break
If you鈥檙e considering respite care for a friend, relative, or yourself, you may be wondering what day-to-day life during a respite stay entails.
Here we take a look at some of the most important aspects of a respite stay at an Anchor care home聽and explore how our homes ensure every visitor gets the most from their individual respite stay with us.
What is daily life like during a respite stay at an Anchor care home?
The experience of respite care is always unique, as each one is suited to the person鈥檚 lifestyle, personality and needs.
Getting to know new residents
To begin with, we work hard to get to know the person who is coming to stay with us. We strive to gain a full sense of their hobbies and interests and learn about how they like to go about their day. With this picture to hand, we鈥檒l then be able to provide our high-quality care and support in a manner best suited to their preferences and help them make the most of their time within the rich and stimulating community of an Anchor care home.
Health and wellbeing
Respite stays can provide an opportunity to boost a person鈥檚 sense of wellbeing. With a wealth of activities always available, and regular visits from hairdressers and medical professionals, such as chiropodists, a respite break can enable a person to interact with others in a range of different ways, from being pampered and having fun, to simply being able to discuss their concerns and ailments with professionals.聽聽
We care about your privacy
At the same time, there is no obligation to completely change your daily routine. We understand and respect how important privacy and choice are. People who like time to themselves can continue to enjoy this, knowing that help is always at hand if needed.
What kind of activities are available during a respite care break in an Anchor care home?
Being interested in what is going on around you and the opportunity to take part in meaningful activities are an essential part of life.
Resident-led activities
The teams in all our homes are dedicated to offering a diverse range of resident-led activities. All activities are available for both short-term visitors and permanent residents to enjoy equally and participation is always completely optional.
The choice of activities available in each home is varied to suit our residents鈥 preferences: if people would like to do something that鈥檚 not planned, then we鈥檙e always happy to make changes or introduce new things.
Colleague and family events
We also organise bigger events where colleagues, residents, friends, family and the local community can get together and join in the fun. These can range from fairs and charity fundraising events to education activities and competitions.
For a glimpse of other examples of these events, check out our blog and community events pages.
Food during a respite care stay
Our approach to catering recognises the importance of the mealtime experience in our daily lives and the benefits of providing people with the food they love. In all our homes, our menus are tailored to the culinary palates of our residents and every day there is an array of nutritious and tasty snacks and drinks available.
Residents can select from a variety of hot and cold meals at lunch and dinner times, and they鈥檙e able to begin the day with a continental or cooked breakfast and a range of cereals and toast. At afternoon tea home-baked scones, cakes, pastries and biscuits are always popular and supper is an option if someone feels peckish later on.
Our highly trained chefs
The work of our Chef Managers and their teams has been noted nationally on several occasions. Each year, we hold our internal Chef of the Year competition, where our catering colleagues can showcase their talents. Find out more about our Chef of the Year competition here.
Dietary preferences
As with all other aspects of our care, we鈥檒l always accommodate any food preferences a resident may have, be they dietary, religious, medical or otherwise.
Mealtimes and food are something to look forward to and enjoy during a respite break with Anchor.
How sociable is the experience of a respite stay?
To enrich the experience of residents and visitors, Anchor care homes balance relaxing personal spaces with vibrant communal areas. Staying with us, people can fully enjoy the independence that professional care enables and readily access each home鈥檚 buoyant social life.
Respite care home services in a homely setting聽
Every room is designed to be warm and homely, with a range of practical design features to make life easier, such as our 24-hour call system, presented discreetly.
Care home bedrooms
You can expect comfortable, self-contained bedrooms, most with en-suite facilities and all featuring television points for digital and satellite TV as well as telephone points and communal wifi access so that loved ones are never too far away. Regardless of the length of stay, we encourage everyone to personalise their rooms with objects dear to them: these could be photographs of family, ornaments, mementos, or a favourite chair.
Pet-friendly care homes
It鈥檚 important to make the room a space that鈥檚 home from home and why our care homes all enjoy a pet-friendly policy.
Communal areas
Communal areas can be found both indoors and out: residents can relax in the fresh air of our accessible sensory gardens, or catch up with friends and a pot of tea in the lounge. Many Anchor care homes also include other facilities such as a library, hair salon, shop or caf茅 which all add to the range of spaces you can enjoy with family and friends.
Your social life
Every Anchor home provides a readily available social life, something that people can struggle to access when living independently or receiving home care. We encourage everyone who enjoys a respite stay with us to continue to pop by the home from time to time after their stay has ended: Anchor homes are places for making friends, and we鈥檙e always delighted when we see those friendships endure.
Respite care breaks with an Anchor care home
Respite care breaks not only provide an opportunity for the person staying with us to receive specialist support in a warm, safe and friendly environment, but they can also offer their usual carer a well-earned rest.
If you鈥檙e interested in respite care at an Anchor property, contact one of our friendly teams in your area today to learn more.聽
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