It is often said by care professionals, that you can gain a true sense of a Care Home within the first six steps across its entrance threshold. I believe that to be the case and that is why I am always keen to invite visitors and members of the public into our four homes across the Central Belt of Scotland.

The Erskine Home is a case in point. In the centre of the Veterans Village, it is our largest nursing home and residence to 180 members of our Veterans Family. Visitors will be warmly welcomed by a receptionist, a former member of the RAF Regiment and a tenant in one of the family cottages on the estate.

They will immediately notice not only the bright, warm and clean environment, but also Erskine’s proud military heritage. On one wall - a rich tapestry of poppies dominates a silhouetted scene of a soldier returning home from the wars. In a facing display cabinet, figurines of the ancient Scottish Regiments guard the entrance to the “Houses” where our residents live in their own comfortable en-suite bedrooms, with communal activities areas and dining rooms.

Also in the reception hall, a huge painted vista of all the warships built by the famous Yarrow Shipyard, dominates. It links between the Yarrow family’s strong philanthropic support to the original Erskine Hospital of the First World War and the critical contribution of Yarrow’s Clydeside carpentry workshops, in the creation of the world’s first articulated, wooden prosthetic limbs.

Walls throughout the Home are decorated with memorabilia, which keeps us in touch with the common heritage, language and resilient sense of humour, which our residents all share!

Walking down this corridor, greeted by smiling members of Care & Support Staff, whilst admiring our Gardens of Remembrance (and the gardens of our Assisted Living Apartments), a visitor could be distracted, they may not notice the offices on the right.

In the Fundraising Office, our small professional team garners support to the tune of over £10 million pounds each year. That support is absolutely vital, because it generates the care quality, innovation and excellence which Erskine is famous for - typified by the warm and professional welcome offered by our “Moving-In Team” who also work from this corridor - reassuring families across Scotland, as they to help them move their loved ones into their new home.

Our Deputy Director of Care and her Quality Improvement audit team operate from this corridor. They are our own internal “care inspectors” keeping us all on our toes and striving to improve and spot any potential issues early. In the same office, our two Advanced Nurse Practitioners are highly trained clinicians, whose job it is to identify, diagnose and treat early signs of infection and illness in our residents. By identifying ails early, and prescribing appropriate medicine and treatment, our ANPS help the “clinical lead” nurses in each home to keep our frail residents as well as they can be, living happy lives, despite complex long-term conditions. Working with a team of physiotherapists and speech & language therapists, they keep our residents as resilient and stimulated as possible.

Unlike in many other Care Homes and, indeed, the NHS, all our protocols, care plans and medicine administration records are held on electronic files, which can be updated “live” via tablet or smart phone platforms within our residents’ bedrooms and communal living areas. Our exploitation of technology is further exemplified by our use of advanced infection detection technology and Artificial Intelligence systems, which help us to recognise early disease and if a non-communicative resident, may be experiencing pain or discomfort. 

The key differentiators of Erskine from the “care home norm” is the higher ratio of skilled staff that we have and the passion they have for their calling. Each member of staff, no matter what their role is, will testify that “we not only care for our residents; we care about them too!”

Every Veteran’s service to their country and the sacrifices that they and their families have made – mark them out as worthy of the utmost respect and exemplary levels of health and wellbeing support – for as long as they live with us.  At Erskine, we are all “Proud To Care” and our army of volunteers and supporters are proud to help us sustain our vital and worthy service to Scotland’s Veterans in turn.