A NURSING home which has a special ‘memory lane’ to help people living with dementia has been rated as outstanding in its first inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Inspectors visited Five Rise Nursing Home, on Keighley Road, Bingley, on three dates in September and October.

The home hit headlines when it opened last year because of its real life nostalgic street, aimed at creating a living space that sparks memories and helps with reminiscence therapy.

A report from the inspection says: “The staff and management team showed a genuine and in-depth understanding and compassion for people they supported.

“They continuously encouraged improvements and innovation to benefit people who used the service. The staff team enabled people to express their views ensuring people received the care they needed and wanted.

“Staff understood their roles and responsibilities, were motivated and had confidence in the management team. Moreover, they were supportive of each other to ensure people received excellent care.

“The management team placed a great importance on ensuring everybody was treated as an individual and received exceptional person-centred care.”

It adds: “The management team spoke with great passion about the care and support they provided to people and their families.

“They encouraged staff to go the ‘extra mile’ when supporting people and that was reflected in the feedback received from people and families. Staff were motivated to provide exceptional care with much kindness and consideration. People and their families felt they really mattered to the whole staff team.”

The caring nature of the home is praised as outstanding.

“Staff and management had an excellent understanding of how to treat people with dignity and respect,” says the report.

“They explained how this included ensuring the little things were right every day, such as a person’s hairstyle, wearing perfume, lipstick and jewellery.”

The report also highlights how staff are very knowledgeable about people’s lives.

“One person was regularly emptying the contents of their wardrobe and becoming anxious,” says the report.

“The registered manager found out they used to go on a lot of last minute holidays and had to pack at short notice. The person was provided with a suitcase which they regularly packed and left in the office, for the ‘bell boy.’

“Sometimes they would unpack it themselves and sometimes staff did. This had made them more settled.”

The report says the registered manager is “committed to providing exceptional care and support” - and the service had become and important part of the community through things like regular visits from local school and pre-school children.

It adds: “ Every member of staff we spoke with told how much they loved working at Five Rise.”