INSPIRING EVENTS

Elderly care is about not just the physical wellbeing of a person, it's about making sure that people are able to enjoy life, whatever stage they’re at. Creating fabulous interiors with original artwork that’s often bespoke, along with designing our own furniture, is the foundation for the real creativity to begin. That's where our superb, carefully chosen Events Managers come in. Tasked with planning a huge variety of events and activities, we encourage not only our residents, but their families, friends and the local communities to enjoy themselves – and entertainment and refreshments are, of course, complimentary.

We are unique in opening our care homes in the evenings and weekends, not just during the normal working day. This reduces isolation, positively promotes social interaction and enhances the local community as a result. We use this as a platform for our marketing, which focuses on our four USPs, chief of which is our 'Inspired & Stimulating' social events, which are attended by many. For those who can’t make it, they can follow all the action on social media platforms and our busy online news boards at each home.

ALL INCLUSIVE

This is our most popular USP, and it speaks for itself. When initially deciding how to charge for the care provided in our homes, we looked at those aspects of a person's life that affect wellbeing, and then we sought to reduce them one by one. With ‘isolation’ tackled head-on by our socially-driven ethos, we then took on ‘worry’ and decided that the only way to address this was through transparent, all-inclusive pricing. We then noticed that a lot of care homes make the same claim, so we had a closer look...

We discovered that the all-inclusive concept varied massively, and we wanted to change that – so we did. Included in your weekly fee in a Berkley Care Group care home is everything you would expect: food, washing, care and comfortable surroundings, but also a whole lot more. You can take the chauffeur-driven car out, have your nails done, invite your friends over for dinner, watch whatever you like at the cinema, enjoy an evening event and not have to worry about an extra penny. It's usual for new residents and their families to be surprised at just how much is included, but it works. It reduces worry and forms the bedrock of trust between home, resident and family.

See what's included in all our homes. Press play.

HIGHER STAFFING

For residents to be able to enjoy everything on offer to them in one of our homes, we ensure that they have access and help to be able to take part and utilise the home as much as possible. After all, all the art and bespoke furniture in the world are no good if you can't use them. This is exactly why we make sure that there is always somebody on hand to help.

Residents in our homes don't ever have to worry about ‘being a burden’ with tired, overworked staff stretched between too many tasks – they want relaxed company and someone who has the time to spend chatting, gardening or simply watching the world, so that’s exactly what we offer. Planning ahead and hitting our ambitious targets means we can manage a smooth transition from a home's opening to its maturity.

Find out what our staff think about us. Press play.

DAY CARE

Day care offers non-residents the opportunity to enjoy all the benefits of our homes for a short period of time – there are so many advantages. Carers can use our homes as a safe and happy alternative when they are unable to be present; the home provides variety and social interaction for those who spend much of their time alone; and a day at one of our homes is an ideal way of experiencing a taste of what we have to offer prior to moving in permanently.

We like to think we offer something special, which is why those who choose to come to us for day care can begin their morning by being collected in a chauffeur-driven limousine or minibus, take breakfast, lunch and dinner, participate in the enjoyment of any of the activities, enjoy the free bar and events, and use of all the home’s facilities. At the end of the day, our chauffeur will ensure you have a relaxing drive back to your own home. What could be better?

FINE & PRIVATE DINING

The jewel in the crown for the foodies among you is the fine dining room that you’ll find in each of our homes, all offering superb menus created by our expert chefs, complete with fine wine. Our residents are welcome to invite their families and friends for dinner or lunch, a special birthday or celebration, or just because they feel like it. After all, who needs a reason to spend quality time with loved ones? Once again, all-inclusive means just that – all of this is included in the fee.

That's what sets our care homes apart from the others, attention to the real desires of the individual, not just words. When we say that we want our residents to treat it as their home, we mean it – it is their home! Having space to invite your friends around makes visiting hours inevitably longer, more relaxed and more enjoyable.

HOTEL STYLE SERVICES

With each home we build, we look to enhance the level of services and facilities we offer. We take inspiration from some of the finest hotels around the world – whether it's the design of the bar or the service their concierge offers – and our staff have full hospitality training to make all our residents and guests feel most welcome and special. First and foremost, we are hotels offering outstanding care. And that is truly new in our industry.

SOCIAL MEDIA

All our homes have fully embraced modern media, using Facebook to keep families and friends up to date with activities within our homes. And we won't just stop there, with bespoke mobile apps in development that will further bridge the generation gap between our residents and their families.

• Groveland Park
• Shinfield View
• Cumnor Hill House
• Ryefield Court
• Leycester House

MODERN MARKETING & COMMUNICATION

Most care homes highlight dignity and respect as being features that they’re proud of, but to us, this is the bare minimum and a given. We promote our care homes in a modern and unique way, without being patronising to our audience. This encompasses everything from naming, branding and build coverings, to final signage, websites, brochures, flyers, vehicle wraps, promotional material, advertising, sponsorships, posters, menus, videos and photoshoots – the list does indeed go on and on. But the message is always that all our public-facing messages and materials reflect the quality of our brand and emphasise our message and values.

Luxury: The term ‘luxury’ is often used to describe care homes, and in many cases, it’s misused. We were one of the first operators in the UK to offer such a high standard of fit and finish in our homes, and now, we are pushing the boundaries even further. We are expanding the market for luxury care and where we lead, others follow.

Our designers scour the UK for inspirational designs; our homes feature bespoke artwork, including from Scarlett Raven, with some pieces including augmented reality to add depth to the experience. Furniture is all individual, and cost is not the deciding factor – if it looks original and great, we will buy it. Berkley Care Group homes are not ordinary care homes, but truly wonderful places to spend time.

LUXURY

The term 'luxury' is often adorned to a care home, and in many cases overused. We were one of the first operators in the UK to offer such a high standard of fit and finish in our homes, but we are pushing the boundaries even further. We are expanding the market for luxury care and where we lead others follow.

Our designers scour the UK for inspirational designs. Our homes feature bespoke artwork, such as from Scarlett Raven, some of which include augmented reality to offer depth to the experience. Furniture is all individual, where cost is not the deciding factor - if it looks original and great we will buy it. These are not ordinary care homes, but truly a wonderful place to spend time.

View some of the interiors at Shinfield View, Press play.