Supporting you every step of the way

Yes. Every Hartford Care home is regulated by an independent inspector. Our homes in England are regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), and our homes in Wales are regulated by Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW). Both regulators inspect homes regularly and publish their reports, so families can read them for themselves. You can find out more at https://www.cqc.org.uk/ and https://www.careinspectorate.wales/. 

At Hartford Care we offer residential, dementia, nursing, respite and day care in our homes across England and Wales. We strive to ensure all our residents and their visitors feel at home in our care and believe that the ‘family feel’ we promote makes us a unique care provider. 

Yes, we are proud to offer dementia care in all our care homes, ensuring care is tailored to the individual. Our highly trained carers work in partnership with our residents living with dementia (and their families) to replicate lifestyle choices and preferences wherever possible, offering home-from-home care in a safe and secure environment. 

Our care plans are created once we have spent time discussing care requirements and preferences with our residents and their family members. We consult with all relevant parties, including medical professionals, to formulate a plan that ensures our residents receive the very best levels of care and enjoyment in our homes. Care plans are regularly reviewed, and any changes clearly communicated. 

At Hartford Care we pride ourselves on clear and constant communication. If there are any issues, problems, concerns or changes – we will be in touch.

If you’d like to experience life at one of our homes before making a longer-term decision, spending some time with us through day care can be a great way to get a feel for the home, meet the team and enjoy the community. Day care can also provide valuable respite for family carers, while giving the person attending the opportunity to enjoy a change of scenery, socialise and take part in activities.

Our respite care is designed as a short-term care package and is usually booked for up to 8 weeks, depending on individual circumstances. Occasionally, respite care is required for several months and we would assess each case on its individual requirements, creating a care plan and respite solution that is appropriate. A respite stay can be a good way for prospective residents to transition into full-time care. Terms and Conditions apply.

All our rooms are tastefully furnished, but we know that familiar belongings can make all the difference when settling into a new home. Residents are welcome to bring favourite pieces of furniture, photographs, ornaments, books, treasured belongings or anything else that helps their room feel like their own, provided there is enough space.

We’re also happy to help with hanging pictures and other personal touches, with our maintenance team able to discuss any specific requirements. It’s these familiar touches and personal details that help create the warm, welcoming atmosphere of a Hartford Care home.

We try to avoid any restrictions when it comes to visitors. Visitors are even welcome to eat with our residents, we simply ask for advanced notice so that our chefs can cater accordingly – private dinning can also be arranged. All our food is home-cooked, so why not join us for a delicious meal?

Of course! All ages are welcomed in our homes and visits from younger generations can provide the perfect tonic for many of our residents.

Yes. We know how much joy and comfort pets can bring, and visits from a much-loved pet can be a lovely part of life at our homes. We simply ask that you speak to the Home Manager before bringing a pet to visit, so we can consider the needs of everyone living in the home, including any allergies or fears.

Pet visits should therefore be discussed and arranged in advance with the Home Manager.

All our care homes have onsite parking for residents and visitors. Please note that parking may be busier at popular visiting times or when events and activities are taking place, so availability can be limited.

The weekly fee is dependent on both the type of room and the pre-admission care needs assessment. The fee range will be provided by the Home Manager, and we will ensure that this is clearly laid out at the earliest opportunity during the decision-making process.

Weekly fees cover:

• Accommodation in your specified room
• Food and drink, including breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks
• 24-hour care provided by our highly trained team
• Housekeeping, covering your room and all other areas of the home
• Activities as part of our planned programme
• Access to all our communal areas, including the lounges, gardens, etc
• Visitor drinks, meals and participation in activities if arranged in advance
• Security
• Laundry service
• Wine and aperitifs, served with meals.(Additional alcohol will be an extra charge.)

There are a few additional services which require payment should you wish to use them. These include:

• Hairdressing
• Newspapers
• Medical treatments such as physiotherapy, chiropody, etc
• Any taxi journeys or other transportation
• Escorted visits to appointments

A holding deposit may be requested at the discretion of the Home Manager and is required where, for example, you ask to reserve a room with a future move-in date two or more weeks beyond the date of your formal care needs assessment. It would be fully refundable after the scheduled move-in day. Should you fail to move in for whatever reason, we would reserve the right to treat 50% of the holding deposit as non-refundable.

Fees are reviewed annually. The review date will be stated on the Admission Agreement. We will provide at least 28 days’ notice in writing of any increase. The review will consider changes in the National Living Wage Index to the extent that it impacts employment costs, the Consumer Prices Index to the extent that it impacts other costs, along with any other exceptional factors due to changes in legislation that are not already reflected in the standard indices used.

We reserve the right to amend your weekly fee at other times, should you change your room or your care needs change considerably. With any change in care needs, we will consult with you and your family and involve you in any decision to provide additional care. Following this consultation, we will give you 28 days’ notice in writing before implementing a change in your fees for this reason.

Fees are payable monthly in advance and collected by Direct Debit on the first working day of each month. Fees for short-term respite stays are invoiced and payable in full, prior to the date of admission to the home.

Yes – if you are unable to self-fund your stay, then you may be able to get help with your funding from your Local Authority. We can provide support by signposting you in the right direction, but it will be your responsibility to agree on the funding with the Local Authority. This may have to include a third-party top-up if the Local Authority is unable to meet our fee level. We will assist in any way we can but, ultimately, if the Local Authority is unable to secure the required funding level for our fees, then you will need to seek an alternative care option.

Yes – privately funded residents will need to provide evidence of how the fees are to be funded for a minimum period of 24 months. This includes where part, or all, of that funding is to come from the proceeds of a future property sale.

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document which allows someone to make decisions for you if you are no longer able to, or no longer want to make your own decisions.

There are two types of Lasting Power of Attorney:

• LPA for financial decisions
• LPA for health and care decisions

There is plenty of advice on the internet. For example, the Age UK website provides very good advice and further information on this subject. Just Google ‘AgeUK Lasting Power of Attorney’ or follow this link:

Age UK – Power of Attorney information guide

If you don’t have LPAs for financial decisions and health/care decisions already, it may be a good idea for you to organise both now. It means that, were you to lose mental capacity or need help with your finances, everything is already organised. If you don’t put this in place, someone will need to apply to the Court of Protection and they will appoint a Deputy. A Deputy is authorised to deal with the property and financial affairs of someone who can’t do this for themselves. This is a slow process which can be stressful for everyone involved. While the Court of Protection will act in your best interests, it’s not the same as making the decisions for yourself.

You don’t need a solicitor to put in place an LPA although you can choose to pay one to do this for you. The application forms from the Office of the Public Guardian contain guidance to help you fill them out.

Yes – it is a legal requirement that we set out the Terms and Conditions that underpin the contractual side of the relationship that exists between us, as the care provider, and you, as the resident. The contract will consist of an Admission Agreement which should only be signed by you or your representative, after you have read through and understood our Terms and Conditions of Residence, which are available directly from the home.

You may terminate the contract between us at anytime by giving us at least 28 days’ written notice.

A contract with Hartford Care can be terminated for the following reasons:

• If, as the care provider we have experienced a significant or repetitive non-payment of fees
• If the resident needs to go into hospital on a full-time basis
• If the resident’s behaviour can no longer be managed by the home
• If the home can no longer meet the care needs of the resident
• If more appropriate care has been identified elsewhere
• If the home must be closed for any reason

Full details of our complaints handling procedure can be found within section 13 of our Terms and Conditions of Residence.

Yes – the trial period will be for a period of four weeks, during which time a reduced period of seven days’ notice may be given on either side. Any fees that have been paid for any period beyond the expiry of the notice period (or the date of departure if later) will be refunded to you.

This is an individual choice, but we do recommend our residents are protected with contents insurance, especially if they bring any high-value possessions. The safekeeping of any cash or high-value items is the responsibility of the individual, so residents and relatives may want to discuss which items are kept in their room and how they are stored.

Yes! We love creating varied activities programmes that give residents plenty of opportunities to enjoy themselves, try something new and spend time with others. Activities can include gentle exercise, singing, garden walks, quizzes, live performances, films, pamper sessions and much more.

We also work with a number of later-life wellbeing specialists to provide stimulating and rewarding activities, while our dedicated Activity Coordinators make sure there’s always something to look forward to. 

At Hartford Care, we provide an inclusive environment for our residents and our team members, and are respectful of everyone’s religious, ethnic, spiritual and cultural beliefs. Any religious, cultural or other specific beliefs would be discussed and included in the resident’s individual care plan.

The facilities available vary from home to home, but all our care homes are designed to provide comfortable, welcoming spaces and services that support residents’ health, happiness and wellbeing.

Many of our homes have gardens or outdoor spaces to enjoy with family and friends, while our partnership with later-life wellbeing specialists, including The Digital Rainbow, provides opportunities for digital entertainment and activities.

Depending on the home, other services and facilities may include regular room cleaning and laundry, hairdressing, visiting chiropodists and beauticians, and more. We listen to our residents and their families to understand what matters to them, using their feedback to continually develop the services and facilities we provide.

All our rooms are tastefully furnished but we appreciate that residents may wish to be surrounded by some of their own belongings. We encourage residents to bring any items of furniture, providing there is enough space. We know this helps many of our residents feel at home. Residents are welcome to bring furniture, ornaments, photos, books, toiletries, equipment for hobbies, etc. We’re also happy to hang pictures on walls and our maintenance team will discuss any exact requirements. We believe that our home-from-home atmosphere makes our care homes incredibly special.

All our Hartford Care homes serve fresh, home-cooked meals prepared in our own fully equipped kitchens. Our chefs create varied, well-balanced menus with residents’ nutritional needs, preferences and enjoyment in mind.

Mealtimes are also a chance to spend time together, and visitors are welcome to join residents for a meal. We simply ask for a little advance notice so our chefs can make sure there’s a place at the table.

Our chefs are experienced in catering for a wide range of dietary requirements, allergies and individual preferences, helping to ensure residents can enjoy nutritious, well-balanced meals. We can also prepare texture-modified meals for residents living with dysphagia (difficulty eating or swallowing), following their individual needs and recommendations.

Mealtimes are very sociable events in our care homes and we encourage our residents to eat together and enjoy each other’s company. We do appreciate that there may be occasions where residents would be more comfortable eating in their rooms, and this can of course be arranged too.

Snacks are always readily available and, should someone request something specific, our team will always try and accommodate any requests.

Yes. Alcohol can be enjoyed at our care homes and is often served alongside meals for residents who choose to have it. Our team takes a responsible approach to alcohol consumption, considering each resident’s individual needs and wellbeing.

Wine and aperitifs served with meals are available as part of the dining experience. Additional alcoholic drinks are not included in the weekly fee, but residents are welcome to purchase or bring their own, subject to discussion with the care team.

We want every visitor to feel welcome and relaxed and encourage all our guests to help themselves to hot drinks and refreshments. There will always be someone on hand should they require any help. Visitors are welcome to enjoy meals too, but we do require advance notice of this.