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Freephone: 03003034788
We love being in sunny Battle and you’ll find Saxonwood care home is one of the most homely and friendly around. Our community is vibrant – a place that welcomes people with open arms like a big family.
We are proudly not for profit and our home is a happy place to be. Our array of activities means we can brighten everyone’s lives, whether it’s getting stuck into something new or enjoying a favourite hobby, we have something for everyone and we aim to make the sun shine every day.
With our worry-free promise, moving your loved one to Saxonwood will give you peace of mind. They will be well cared for by our experienced team and they will enjoy delicious home cooked meals and friendly, sociable company with other residents and our carers.
We have invested in a range of safe visiting options for families and friends, please see more information below. We have a popular, private, friends and family Facebook page to share updates and send messages. We also have tablets available for residents to use to video call and keep in touch with you.
The health, safety and wellbeing of our residents and staff remains our number one priority. We are doing everything we can to keep them safe and protected, please see more information below.
We are welcoming new residents so please get in touch for more information and register your interest. Let the sun shine every day. Make us your new home. Contact us today.
Saxonwood care home, Saxonwood Road, Battle, East Sussex TN33 OEY.
About Saxonwood
We are home to 36 people and give residential care, and we are dementia friendly.
Our dedicated team of friendly carers are on hand 24 hours a day and we love getting to know our individual residents so we can make sure they have all the care they need to enjoy their stay.
Residents can relax in our comfortable lounge, keep busy in our activities room or get back to nature in our beautiful mature gardens. With their very own single or double bedroom with en-suite, the choice is theirs.
Yes, we are pet friendly and very proud to have a gold award from the RSPCA! We’re also chuffed to have a 5* food hygiene certificate.
I am very happy with the care that my mother receives from everyone at Saxonwood. Whilst the Corona Virus pandemic is ongoing, they have been exceptional in such very difficult circumstances. They have been keeping everyone informed of all the activities which have been brilliant to see on social media.
My mum is happy here, she has a lovely room. The staff are so helpful, attentive and kind. The meals are excellent, entertainment is 5 star something to do (activities) every day. I cannot thank the staff enough for looking after my mum after her stroke in September and that I feel happy to know she is cared for so well.
Activities - Sunny moments club
Making memories and creating special sunny moments is something we love to do.
We are passionate about creating moments with our residents that will brighten their day – we call this our sunny moments club.
We spend time getting to know each individual and our dedicated activity co-ordinators create an ever-changing programme full of activities and fun things to do, giving residents the chance to do what they love best, or explore new experiences or talents. Sunny moments are created with our dedicated activities co-ordinator and can involve individual or group activities, friends, family and the local community.
We arrange everything from crafts, quizzes and armchair aerobics to food tasting, movie afternoons and community choirs – just to name a few. Sometimes sunny moments are those moments we take to relax and reflect. We have quieter times to chat with a friend, share our most vivid memories or perhaps enjoy a stroll around the garden.
Sporting moments are sunny moments – there really is something for everyone. We enjoy cheerleading, ball games, hoopla, indoor golf or simply reminiscing about a favourite sport!
Sample activities menu
Monday - Skittles and flower arranging
Tuesday - Tapas tasting and Alive and Active exercise
Wednesday - Live violin performance and arts and crafts
Thursday - Hoopla and pamper parlour
Friday - Bulb planting and quiz time
Saturday - Saturday smoothies and scrabble club
Sunday - sing along and movie and nibbles
When you wish upon a star
Most of our care homes have a wish tree and it’s a special sunny moment when we make a wish come true. We love it when our residents dream big and we get to see their face light up when their wish is our command.
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” George Shaw
Meet the team at Saxonwood
Sigita Kaleja, Care Home Manager
"I started working in care in 2010 and worked my way from Care Assistant, through senior care roles, Deputy Manager to finally becomming the Care Home Manager.
I am passionate about my work. I enjoy the variety of work and meeting new people and supporting them at time when they need help and reassurance. I absolutely love bringing energy and creativity to every activity and watch how residents’ faces light up.
Residents are at the very centre of our Saxonwood family. Everything I do is with their wellbeing and happiness in mind. Each member of our team is dedicated to giving the best care and making a positive difference to residents’ lives every day."
Roxi Vargaluta, Deputy Care Home Manager
"I started at Saxonwood as a Care Assistant in 2014 and a year later, with the help of my team and manager, I became a Senior Care Assistant. I was in this role for five years. I've been able to upskill myself and with the support and training from Sussex Housing & Care, I've progressed to my Deputy Manager position.
Saxonwood is a brilliant home and we have lots of fun with the residents and I enjoy making a difference to their daily life.
In November 2022, Roxi won the 'Frontline Leaders Award' at the Great British Care Awards South East, and we're very proud of her achievements! Read more about her win here."
Sandra Everley, Care Home Administrator
"I have a background in administration as previously I worked as an administrator at The Priory in Heathfield, so I bring quite a bit of experience to this role. I was attracted to working for Sussex Housing & Care because it felt homely, bright and friendly at Saxonwood. I find working with older people incredibly interesting, finding out all about their life stories and careers.
I’m responsible for HR, finance, customer enquiries and the day to day support for staff. I’ve settled in well and my days are busy. Everyone has been kind, supportive and I’ve had encouragement every step of the way. I have the opportunity to arrange activities for residents and today we’ve done some crafts. It’s great seeing them have fun and also for me to do something different to the desk work. It’s so important to get to know residents and they also get to know me, we have a good laugh and a joke.
Working at Saxonwood is like a big family, we have fun together and it’s a brilliant place to work, I look forward to coming in!"
Tracie Wilson, Chef Manager
"I qualified as a chef over 30 years ago and have worked in many different roles within catering, including as a bakery trained confectioner, dietary needs chef, Head Chef, Head of Catering and a Chef Manager. I am also qualified to teach food safety, nutrition, and dietary needs from the CIEH. I was also a home care worker for two years, and so I bring alot of experience and knowledge to my role as Chef Manager at Saxonwood.
The job I do plays a major role at Saxonwood as food and hospitality is always a highlight of the our residents' day. I have enjoyed taking part in activities, planning, preparing, and producing food and drinks for events, getting to know the residents, receiving good feedback and implementing new menus. I feel privileged to work with a great team both in and out of the kitchen, producing food that looks as good as it tastes and is enjoyed by all."
At Saxonwood we have a range of roles including; a deputy manager, administrator, senior care assistants, care assistants, chef manager, cook, kitchen assistant, domestic, laundry assistant, handy man and activities co-ordinator. All of our employees receive mandatory training, regular one to one supervision meetings and have DBS checks.
Residents receive care 24 hours a day and our teams are supported by our 24 hour call bell system and associated assisted technology that is in place throughout the home.
Keeping our care homes safe
Here is a list of frequently asked questions to help people who are looking for a care home.
1. Are Sussex Housing & Care’s care homes accepting new residents?
Yes, we are welcoming new residents to our care homes. Please get in touch to register your interest.
2. Can I have a tour of the care home?
We know that you will want to see our care home for yourself and we can offer an in – home viewing or a virtual tour so that you can get to know us better. Our care home manager or deputy manager will be happy to welcome you and answer any questions that you have.
3. Are family and friends able to visit residents?
We welcome friends and family to visit their loved one and you can enjoy spending time in our communal areas such as lounges, dining areas or day rooms, even take part in an activity if you fancy! You are also welcome to visit a resident in their room. Visitors do not need to wear PPE. However, if there is a local need to wear PPE, then we ask that you do wear a mask which we will provide. Please do not visit our homes if you are feeling unwell, have flu like symptoms or a temperature.
4. How can residents keep in touch with loved ones outside of the care home?
We understand how important it is for residents to keep in touch with friends and family. In addition to being able to visit when ever you would like, we make good use of technology. For example, we have a mobile phone and tablets in each care home for residents to use to chat or video call, and we support residents who are unable to independently use these devices.
We have a Facebook page for each of our care homes — simply search for the care home name and find our page. Here we post photos and videos of daily activities and share updates. Feedback from families about these pages has been very positive and they have enjoyed seeing what residents get up to.
5. How do you monitor who accesses the building?
We have a door entry system at all of our care homes, this means that staff speak to anyone before they enter the building. Visitors should always sign in and residents have an in/out board to use. The doors are opened using a door release code and the nurse call system will alert staff when any other external door has been opened. We encourage our residents to live independently and have access to our lovely gardens, however, we monitor this access to make sure it is appriopriate.
6. How do you safeguard residents?
All of our employees complete a safeguarding training course to make sure our residents, who can be vunerable, are treated with respect and not abused or neglected. We are regulated by the Care Quality Commission and work closely with our local partners. All of our care home employees have manditory training and a DBS check when they start employment with us.
7. What health and safety checks do you complete?
We carry out regular health and safety checks in our care homes to make sure our property is safe, risks are reduced and our equipment is in good working order.
Fire safety checks include for example:
- Weekly fire alarm testing.
- Monthly checks of; fire extingushers, fire doors, electrical items and cleaning smoke detectors and completing a fire drill.
- Quarterly fire risk assessments and fire risk audits are carried out.
- Every year we have our electircal equipment PAT tested.
Health and safety checks include for example:
- Visual inspections.
- Hoist and sling inspections.
- Hot water temperature testing.
- Internal and external environmental checks.
- Condition of garden furniture assessments.
- Legionella tests.
- Emergency lighting and nurse call system.
- Checking first aid boxes, window restrictors and wheelchairs.
Prices
We have a variety of rooms at Saxonwood offering a range of sizes, outside views, location and facilities.
The prices below are based on standard care. The level of care each resident receives is based on an assessment of their individual care needs. This assessment identifies their level of dependency, which could be; standard, medium, high, very high or end of life care.
The weekly fee for permanent residents receiving standard care, is from £975 to £1,063.
The weekly fee for respite residents receiving standard care, is from £1,173 to £1,271.
We encourage you to bring your own furniture to personalise your room and make it feel like home.
The following items and services are included in and covered by your weekly fees:
• The costs of your personal care
• Accommodation
• Electricity (lighting and heating)
• Food and non-alcoholic drink, including snacks
• Housekeeping and laundry (except items that need dry cleaning)
• Television license
• Wifi for you and your visitors
• Daily activities
The following extra items and services are not covered by the weekly fees, although we are happy to arrange them for you at an extra cost:
• Professional hairdressing
• Personal copies of newspapers or magazines
• Personal purchases such as stationery, sweets, alcohol, particular snacks, soaps and toiletries
• Clothing, shoes and slippers
• Dry cleaning
• Private telephone line
• Chiropody
If you have any questions about paying for care, our friendly care home manager would be happy to answer your questions.
Paying for care
Our prices are based on your individual care needs and your choice of room within our home.
Assess your situation
Some people have the resources to pay for their care in full and others make means tested contributions. There are national limits that determine eligibility for funding assistance which are set by the government and are subject to change, so we advise you to check current figures when choosing a care home.
Paying for care yourself
If you are paying for your own care then you can contact our care home directly to arrange a viewing and request a room. We will do a care needs assessment to make sure we are able to meet your care needs. We advise that you thoroughly read through the contract before signing and make sure you are clear about what you are paying for.
Financial assessment
You will need to have a financial assessment before moving in. The purpose of this assessment is to identify the length of time that you might be able to meet our fees. It will also assess whether you are likely to require top up funding from the Local Authority. We require all new potential residents to undergo an Independent Financial Assessment.
We can give you details of an independent financial advisor that could be used, or you can choose your own providing that your financial report covers our ‘acceptance criteria’. We use ‘Care Advice Service’ and their current cost for a financial assessment is £145 (subject to change) and is refundable after six months. Following the financial assessment, we will be given a red, amber or green score on your ability to pay and we will discuss this score with you.
We require the result of your assessment to be green for you to move in as a permanent resident. We would not ordinarily accept a self-funding resident to move in permanently with a red or amber result.
Common questions
Does Sussex Housing & Care accept Local Authority (LA) funded residents?
We do accept LA funded residents but only with a top-up fee to cover the difference in cost. A third party can ‘topup’ and contribute to any extra cost and they will need to have a financial assessment (see overleaf) to identify whether they can meet the fees.
Do I have to pay a deposit?
We don’t ask for a deposit but we do ask that residents pay in advance (see ‘how frequently are care home fees due?’ question below).
Can I reserve a room?
If a resident is unable to move in immediately and there is a delay, we are able to reserve an empty room of your choosing. This will be charged at the ‘standard’ rate for the room and the charge will apply for the duration of the time it is being reserved. This charge is non-refundable.
How frequently are care home fees due?
For permanent residents, the payment of the monthly charge by direct debit is due in advance on the first day of each month, or the nearest following day if the first day of the month falls on a bank holiday or weekend. For respite residents it is a week in advance.
What happens if a resident becomes eligible for state funding during their stay?
We expect the resident or a third party to pay the difference between what the local authority pay and our fees, if not they will have to leave the home. If we have a more affordable room which is empty we can give the resident the option to move into the cheaper room. Before moving in we ask for the resident to have a third party top up guarantor in case a resident is no longer able to pay the fee.
How can self-funded residents have their fees changed during their stay?
There is an annual fee increase based on a formula which uses CPI and wages increases. This is calculated at a maximum of 2% plus 65% of wages increase plus 35% of CPI.
Fresh home cooked food
We know that meal times bring sunshine and are an important part of the day. We take great pride in offering a seasonal daily menu which has a selection of delicious, nutritionally balanced meals.
Residents can take their pick and choose on the day what they fancy from the menu. Our trained chefs cook scrumptious dishes on site in our 5* hygiene rated kitchen, using fresh ingredients.
If there are dietary requirements or personal preferences, that’s no problem! Residents can top themselves up throughout the day with tea, coffee, juice, homemade cake, biscuits and fruit. There’s not much that beats settling down with a nice cup of tea and homemade cake whilst chatting with friends in an afternoon.
Residents have their say and join regular meetings with our Chef Manager to give feedback on dishes and share suggestions for the menu. Here’s what some residents had to say:
“Full marks to the kitchen for getting to know people’s likes and dislikes!”
“My breakfast here is perfect, it’s exactly what I like.”
“I have a small appetite and have a small plate, but sometimes there’s not enough space so I’d like a small portion on a bigger plate please.”
Here's a sample menu:
Breakfast
Selection of cereals or porridge, mixed fruits, toast and tea, coffee, hot chocolate.
Lunch
Roast beef and yorkshire pudding
Roasted vegetable tart
Pear tart tatin
Chocolate organde cheesecake
Supper
Ham and cheese croissant
Homemade carrot and corriander soup
Lemon syllabub
Creme caramel
We are not for profit
We are a not for profit housing association. This means we make a surplus each year which we reinvest back into the organisation in order to continiously improve our properties and the quality of life of our residents. We strive to create brighter living every day.