In the first weekend after Parliament has gone into recess local Southend MP, Anna Firth, has visited St Martin’s Care Home in Chalkwell.
Mrs Firth was invited to make the visit by the manager of St Martins, Jacqueline Lim, who wanted her to see the facilities of St Matins and the quality of care that is provided to people with Dementia.
Mrs Firth was given a tour of the building, including its dining area and communal spaces, as well as its extensive garden which has seating areas and a bandstand.
As she went around the building, the local MP spoke to many of its residents, including the 103-year-old Mr John Tollworthy who used to own a local butcher’s. Mrs Firth invited Mr Tollworthy to a centenarian’s tea party which she plans to hold later in the year; a tradition originally started by Sir David Amess which Firth has continued.
Firth also spoke with the management of St Martin’s about what policy changes the Government could institute to make providing good care easier. In particular, Mrs Firth discussed how support and training could be given to the families of prospective residents so that they better understood the process of caring for people with dementia which would by extension make the job of people in the care sector much easier.
St Martin’s, located on Imperial Avenue, Westcliff-on-Sea, specialises in care for those over 65 with Dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s, mental health conditions and physical disabilities. It is run by the Darby & Joan Organisation which is based in Southend.
Over the course of the recess, Firth has said she will be visiting every ward in her constituency with regular updates on where she has been on her social media. Her visit to St Martins marks one of the first visits on this Summer tour.
After the tour, Anna said:
“It was wonderful to kick off my Summer Tour of every ward in Southend West by visiting St Martins Care Home. I was enormously impressed by the quality of care offered to its residents and equally impressed by the facilities – particularly the garden which I know residents particularly appreciate.
“Its by no means the first visit I’ve made to a care home in Southend West and I was once again thrilled to speak to some of the residents who are, as always, incredibly friendly and just delightful. I’m also glad to have had a very productive conversation with Jacqueline about wider issues facing the care industry which I will be taking with me when Parliament returns later in the year.
“I look forward to coming again soon!”
