Home care company dedicates 'outstanding' rating to 'inspirational' founder who died earlier this year

A company that provides care to people in their own homes in Kent has been rated ‘outstanding’ by the care regulator, with its manager saying founder Symone Salwan who died earlier this year “would have been so proud”.

Home Instead Senior Care, Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks and Edenbridge, a service providing at-home care and companionship to older people has been rated ‘outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), for the second time.

Sara Grist, its general manager said: “I am absolutely delighted with the rating, Symone would have been so proud. She was so well thought of, not only here at Home Instead but in the wider community, where she did so much to champion people living with dementia. We continue to honour her memory and everything that Symone set out to do. Her ethos, passion and devotion to caring shone through and we are continuing with all her good work.”

Symone Salwan died suddenly after a short illness in February this year. A tribute by her partner Graham and their children Kishi and Kaya said: ‘She has left a deep hole in all our hearts that will be difficult to heal. But our happy memories, her warmth, her kindness, her perseverance to make a positive impact in this world will stay with us for ever.’

They revealed how she founded her home care company in 2011 after her grandma Christine died and ‘inspired’ so many people.

She understood love, kindness and compassion were all part of care that should be given to the elderly

‘She understood that love, kindness and compassion were all part of the health care that should be given to older people. She established her senior homecare business in 2011, but that was only the beginning of her incredible crusade.

‘She understood that the power for change doesn’t come from a single person but lays within the local community. She mobilised everyone in her path! She worked with local businesses, health providers, community groups, the council, politicians, you name it. She didn’t stop,’ said her family.

CQC found Home Instead had 'truly holistic approach'

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) highlighted in their report that Home Instead Senior Care, Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks and Edenbridge had a ‘truly holistic approach’ and that Home Instead had developed innovative and effective ways to enhance people’s wellbeing and quality of life.

Inspectors interviewed staff, clients and client families, with one client quoted in the report as saying, “They are a great company and a great help to me.” Another said : “They are better than any other company, by a million miles.”

Many examples of compassion, kindness, dignity and respect are shared in the report. In one instance a woman they were caring for was admitted to hospital and was anxious that her cats were cared for, so the home care team stepped up and looked after them. They took videos of her cats each day and took them to their client in hospital to reassure her that all was well before she was able to return home.

CQC inspectors also highlighted how Symone Salwan had set up the Forget-me-not Cafés in 2015, revealing that Home Instead had set up one of the most established and successful dementia friendly communities in Kent. These cafés, now totalling five, were integral in the formation of the Sevenoaks Area Dementia Friendly Community, co-chaired by Ms Salwan and which, in 2019, received charity status.

Home Instead Senior Care’s focus on person-centred care for clients, caregivers and the local community shone through in the report, with a member of staff saying: “Can I just say I love working here. It’s the best company I’ve ever worked for”.

Home Instead Senior Care provides tailored support which includes companionship, meal preparation, light housekeeping, personal care, medication reminders, shopping and errands for older people.

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