Dementia care in Hornchurch and Emerson Park: how Moreland House supports people with dementia and their families

Dementia care at Moreland House, briefly

Moreland House is a 50-room nursing home on Manor Avenue in Hornchurch, purpose-built in 2014 over three floors, with 49 en-suite rooms. Our dementia-trained staff and registered nurses work 24 hours a day, supporting residents at all stages of memory loss.

Why the building matters

Older converted homes can have steps and rooms of different shapes. A purpose-built home is easier to plan for people who are unsteady or disoriented, and an en-suite bathroom means the toilet stays in the same place. Moreland House also has sensory rooms and reminiscence areas, in a secure environment.

Nursing dementia care or residential dementia care

If you are unsure what level of care is needed, ask. Residential dementia care relies on care staff, with nurses visiting. Nursing dementia care has a registered nurse on duty around the clock. A discharge team at Queen's Hospital or a Havering social worker can explain which they recommend, and why. Because dementia progresses, it is also reasonable to ask what would happen if a residential placement stopped being enough.

How we care for the person, not the diagnosis

We learn about the person on admission, with the family's help: their work, faith, family and favourite things. That personal history feeds the reminiscence areas and activities. It can also help a carer understand why someone refuses a wash or becomes restless at a certain time. Our page on daily life describes ordinary days here.

Support with communication, nutrition, mobility and personal care is part of each day, alongside calm routines, quizzes, word games and group discussion. As needs change, the balance moves from stimulation towards comfort.

Advanced dementia and end of life

In advanced dementia, people may need help with swallowing and positioning, with pressure area care, and with pain they cannot describe. Our advanced dementia care adds support as those needs change. End of life care is comfort-led and respects the person's faith. Where assessed, one-to-one care with a dedicated member of staff can be agreed for set hours.

What to ask any dementia home in Havering

• Is a registered nurse on site at night, on each floor or for the whole home?
• If dementia progresses, is a further move likely?
• How is a resident's personal history used day to day?
• What are the first steps when someone is distressed?
• How often do you review sedatives and antipsychotics, and with whom?
• How do residents move between floors, and how do they reach the garden?
• What did the latest CQC report say, and what has changed since?

Funding dementia care in Havering

NHS funding is not triggered by the diagnosis alone. Anyone assessed as needing a registered nurse has NHS-funded nursing care paid to the home as a weekly contribution. NHS Continuing Healthcare, for a primary health need, covers the whole fee. For the rest, the London Borough of Havering applies its means test, with the national capital limits, a twelve-week property disregard in some cases and the possibility of a deferred payment. Our Havering funding guide has the full picture.

Families and visiting

Relatives are treated as partners in care: tell us what you notice, join care plan reviews, and ask how you will be told about falls, infections or changes in health. Ask about visiting times as well. A regular short visit, perhaps by the fountain or gazebo, can be easier for the person than a long one.

Baths, the salon and the garden as care

Three parts of the building can help. The hydrotherapy baths can make washing warmer and less hurried for someone who finds a shower frightening. The salon keeps up the habit of having hair done. The fountain, gazebo and lawn give people something to look at and somewhere to sit on a dry day.

Visiting

Moreland House is at 5 Manor Avenue, Hornchurch RM11 2EB, a quarter of a mile from Gidea Park station. Book a visit through the tour form or call 01708 442654. Residents are admitted from age 60.