New build


to do,” she says. “Here they have to slow down, use their minds more and think for themselves.” She adds she looks for people who bring


energy, warmth and personality, and knows she is achieving her objectives as people continue to tell her “your staff are always so happy”.


Designed around real life Many of the design decisions in the new home have been driven by being flexible to people’s day to day needs, I’m told. For instance, the dining spaces have been


developed to encourage independence and family involvement, rather than regimented food service routines. “Our dining rooms are superb,” King


says. “ We don’t have trolleys - families can help themselves and make tea and coffee whenever they want.” That small design decision is part of a


wider theme aimed at reducing institutional practices and creating a more domestic environment. Ms King is equally passionate about


removing unnecessary distinctions between staff and people living in the home, and she actively encourages team members to eat alongside residents to create a more natural social environment and stronger relationships. As we tour the home Ms King points out


examples of thoughtful detailing intended to support independence and reduce risk. Speaking to interior designer Katie McGoff


after the visit, it becomes clear this sense of domesticity is also being deliberately reinforced through the interior scheme. “We try to make sure that it looks a little bit different to your standard care home, so that people walking in instantly recognise it as a Dunham Care home,” she says. That differentiation is achieved through


details residents and visitors may experience as warmth or individuality, but which are underpinned by a highly specific design process. “We have a very, very close relationship with a particular textile company and wallpaper brand which means we can actually have our own designs, so the majority are bespoke to us, and we can have things recoloured, and designed differently that are really based on our research,” says Ms McGoff. The bespoke approach extends beyond


fabrics and wallcoverings. Ms McGoff points to the lighting as one example of how the interiors have been designed to feel less corporate and more crafted. “We used quite high-end designer lighting created by a south coast designer who uses bent wood to create these lights that are almost quite sculptural.”


Technology that disappears into the background One area where Ms King believes Herne Bay Manor stands apart is its adoption of digital care innovation. Central to this is the Sensio intelligent care platform, which she says creates


something many people probably would not notice - silence. “You won’t hear a bell because it is a silent


system,” adding the absence of a constant soundtrack of alarms and alerts created by traditional nurse-call systems “is just heaven”. “Anybody going into a regular care home


constantly hears beeps. One stops, another starts,” she adds. The Sensio system uses infrared sensors to


monitor activity while wireless connectivity links directly to staff-held devices. “It looks like phones,” Ms King laughs.


“We do have to keep explaining that [staff are] not on their personal devices.” The technology allows teams to respond


more intelligently, she says. “I think it’s amazing. We can monitor


people without having to disturb them.” The potential is particularly significant


for people living with dementia, she says adding she believes future developments will increasingly support safe movement and independence without resorting to restrictive practices. “Soon you’ll be able to identify where


people are in the home. That’s so important because you’re not restricting them.” The home also uses digital learning


systems to support workforce development. “We are really keen for everybody to do


the Care Certificate,” she says – and not just direct care staff. “Everybody in the care home is working


with residents.” Other features Ms King is keen to


demonstrate include motion-activated lighting removing the need to search for switches in the night, illuminated light switches that make navigation easier and climate controls that help maintain comfort during increasingly common periods of extreme heat.


Supporting changing care needs Like many providers, Dunham Care is preparing for the needs of the people they care for becoming increasingly complex. The days when care homes supported


at least some relatively independent older people are in the rear view mirror, says Ms King. “We’re essentially doing nursing apart


from taking X-rays and doing minor operations.” She says this means care homes can live


up to the expectation they will increasingly prevent hospital admissions and support healthcare delivery closer to home. “There is no reason for us not to take


October 2026 www.thecarehomeenvironment.com 35


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