Rockdale House
One of the Association’s objectives is to promote Rockdale House as a model of good residential care, and we are passionate in the belief that residential care can still offer an excellent quality of life to frail older people.

The Building
We have 31 single bed-sitting rooms and one short-stay room, arranged on three floors, with lift access to all. Each room is fully furnished (although you are welcome to bring your own furniture if you wish), has a TV point and a private phone point, a wash basin, and a commode if you would like one. Some rooms look out on gardens at the front of the house, but most have a view of the meadow and trees at the back, and you could imagine yourself to be out in the country! You don't need a TV licence as we have a communal one which covers them all.

There are three comfortable sitting rooms, a small sitting room for private conversations, a light cheerful dining room, kitchenettes for residents' use, and a fully equipped hairdressing salon. The gardens, with two patio sitting areas, are easily accessible.

Staff
Rockdale House is staffed by a Deputy Home Manager, three Senior Residential Social Workers, eight day and eight night Residential Social Workers, a Secretary, and catering and housekeeping staff, all under the management of the Home Manager, who is a state registered nurse. There are two waking staff on duty each night.

Because all our staff are full-time (we do not employ agency staff), they are able to get to know residents well, and offer continuity of care. Some areas of staff training are compulsory, and further relevant training is actively encouraged, and financed by the Association.

Services
Staff at Rockdale House will address you as you have chosen, and will not enter your room without knocking and receiving an answer (unless they have reason to think you are unwell).

The care staff can help you with all aspects of personal care, depending on what you need. This may include help with washing, bathing, dressing and undressing, eating, going to the lavatory, manicure, make-up, mobility and so on. One member of staff will have special responsibility for your welfare, help to look after your clothes, arrange any appointments you may need, make sure you don't run out of bubble bath etc., get to know your family and help you to do, as much as possible, what you want to.

Meals are sociable events, served at 9am, 1pm and 5.30pm in the dining rooms, and early morning tea, mid-morning coffee, afternoon tea and late night drinks are brought to you. The Catering Manager consults residents to find out what you would like included in the menus, and special dietary requirements can be arranged for.

All bedding and towels are provided, laundry (including personal laundry) is done on the premises and ironing is done by the night staff, but dry cleaning is sent out at your expense.

Health: If your own family doctor belongs to a Sevenoaks practice, you will probably wish to remain registered with that surgery, otherwise we can arrange for you to be transferred to any one of the four local surgeries. All the local doctors visit their patients at the house as necessary, and the district nursing service is also very helpful.

We will help you to access other medical services (hospital appointments, dentist, physiotherapist, optician etc.) and arrange transport for you to get there. We arrange for prescriptions to be collected from the surgeries and any medications you take to be delivered to the house by our pharmacist. Senior staff administer medicines unless you want to look after them yourself.

Visiting services include hairdressing, chiropody, aromatherapy massage, group exercises, a weekly shop and the library. Clergy of various denominations visit and conduct services and members of local churches collect residents to go out to church. Your family and friends are welcome at any time and there are guest apartments available for visitors from a distance, or who need to be with an ill relative.
There are leisure activities to join in with if you want to, which include outings in small or larger groups, a discussion group with residents from the apartments, art classes, a poetry group, exercise groups, scrabble, bingo, quizzes, video afternoons, occasional visiting entertainers and clothing sales. The apartments residents run their own social club which you may join, and a Diners Club and coffee mornings are held in Beatrice Wilson Common Room.

Future plans
Looking ahead, we have plans for a purpose-built 48 place home on this same site, where rooms will be bigger and include en suite facilities. News of progress will be added to this website as it becomes available.

Further Information
To find out more, ring Rockdale House direct on 01732 454763 or e-mail and we will send you a Residents' Handbook which includes an application form (and information about costs and funding). Booking the short stay room for a few days is a good way to find out if you would enjoy living here. Do also ring if you have any questions to ask, or better still, you are very welcome to come and see us, either by appointment or just drop in.

Gilli Crick
Home Manager