Learn more about our visit to Dunham Care Homes’ flagship, Herne Bay Manor, where we had the chance to speak with Mike Wilson (COO) and Trisha King, the home’s Manager, about how thoughtful design, discreet technology, and a strong focus on staff development are shaping a quality-led approach to care.
With its opening approaching, Herne Bay Manor is set to become the flagship home for Dunham Care, and is a clear indicator of how the group sees the future of care. The emphasis is firmly on quality, consistency and creating an environment that works well for both residents and staff, with expansion and exciting growth very much in future plans.
Technology is integrated thoughtfully and without intrusion across the home. Sensors in residents’ rooms that monitor movement and falls alert staff via pocket devices rather than alarms or flashing lights. This will allow the home to remain calm and familiar for residents, while ensuring staff can respond quickly and confidently when support is needed. From our conversations, the management team is clearly forward-thinking about how technology can be used to personalise care, not replace human interaction.
Dining is another area where the focus is on maintaining a calm atmosphere. Residents are served by the home’s hospitality staff, allowing them to choose their meals with minimal noise and disruption in the dining space.
The home’s interior design has been designed in-house, giving it a distinct feel and a level of character often missing from more standardised developments. A Herne Bay theme runs throughout the décor, which will help residents recognise local references and offer easy conversation starters for both staff and visitors.
On the dementia floor, design choices are subtle and resident-led. Interactive stations along the corridors invite engagement without being directive, allowing residents to take part when it suits them. Memory boxes outside each room support recognition, alongside customisable door plaques engraved with residents’ preferred names or nicknames, reinforcing identity and familiarity.
One of the home’s most striking features is the first-floor balcony, which is unusually large for a care home and is likely to become a valued space during the spring and summer months. It provides a lovely, accessible outdoor space protected from the wind by glass without residents needing to leave the floor.
The culture within the home feels positive and purposeful. The team is welcoming and enthusiastic about working in the home and using the new systems, and the senior leadership is focused on training and career progression, with a clear aim of ensuring staff feel supported and part of a wider family.
Herne Bay Manor also benefits from its position next to its sister retirement village. This allows residents from both settings to mix, and helps village residents become familiar with the care home’s environment, potentially easing any future transition.
