Jean Garwood House is a residential home for 13 adults with physical disabilities. The house is registered with the London borough of Croydon under the Care Standards Act 2000 and thus is subject to regular inspections. The house is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and there are always at least two staff on shift. All residents have the use of a communal kitchen, lounge, dining room and garden. The kitchen is partly adapted for use by those in wheel chairs. Meals, laundry and cleaning are provided but residents are encouraged to do as much as they can for themselves.

The fundamental philosophy of JGH, is to support and empower the residents to maximise their quality of life and to maintain and develop new skills. In order to do this staff, work as key workers to individual residents and each resident undergoes twice yearly reviews to make sure the service provided is meeting their needs. With the support of the staff, residents are encouraged to participate as much as possible in the running of the home. The residents meet on a monthly basis with the Social Worker at the Work Centre to discuss any matters which may have arisen over the last month. One of the residents also attends the Monthly House Management Committee, which discusses any residents’ issues, finances and other matters, which need to be dealt with.

Residents are encouraged to follow their own interests and hobbies with the assistance of staff if necessary. Most of the residents belong to some kind of social group. Activities are also planned within the home with those that are interested. Often residents will go down to the local pub for a meal or a drink, we have had several successful ten pin bowling nights out, and are planning other activities at the moment. We have an adapted MPV, which will take one passenger in a wheelchair and 3 others plus the driver, but we also have access to the Foundation’s minibuses and drivers if needed.

A conservatory has been built on the side of the house to provide more communal space for the residents. The upstairs accommodation has been altered to provide three bedsits with en-suite bathrooms, a communal lounge and a fully accessible kitchen with rise & fall units. A wheelchair lift has also been installed to enable residents living upstairs to be as independant as possible.