About the Home
Our residential care home provides accommodation for 35 residents. Overlooking Knowle Park it has extensive well-maintained gardens with summerhouses. It is close to woodland and the local nature reserve. The village centre of Knowle with shops, pubs, restaurants and churches is within walking distance.
Built in 1902 as an Edwardian ‘gentleman’s residence’, it first became a school after the war but was later gifted to the Council for education or healthcare.
In 1963 it was purchased by Knowle Old Peoples Welfare Charity for the provision of care for the elderly in Knowle.
In 2003 the charity became Jobs Close Residential Home for the Elderly, a company limited by guarantee and not having a share capital.
In 2002, following local fund raising, the buildings were extended to the east to provide en-suite facilities to all bedrooms and improved leisure facilities.
In 2018 nearly £1 million of the charity’s money (including a substantial legacy from Dorothy Ledbrook) was invested to extend and modernise the main building.
Corridors were widened and extensive improvements made to communal lounges, the medical room, sitting rooms and bathrooms.
The 2018 work proved to be a very timely investment as it made caring during Covid much more manageable.
There are also two summer houses in the grounds. Used to facilitate visiting during the pandemic but are now readily accessible to residents and their visitors.
Modernisation has continued as you will see in these pages.
While the threat of Covid has receded we are still concerned to prevent infection spreading in the Home.
We were pleased that an NHS Infection, Prevention and Control Inspection in October 2023 awarded the Home an ‘Excellent’ rating.
Staff and residents are still being tested when required by local circumstances, as are visitors.
Covid and influenza vaccination are performed regularly following national guidelines and local medical advice.
An appetising and healthy diet is provided using fresh produce. Alternatives meals are always available on request and special diets are catered for.
A hairdressing salon is situated on the first floor and a number of hairdressers visit on a weekly basis.
Each room has a telephone point and TV socket for the residents personal use. There is also WiFi throughout the home and additional information technology has been provided to enable residents to communicate with their families using video conferencing.
The home employs an Activities Co-ordinator to help stimulate any interests the residents have in art or craft work, competitions of various forms, and outings to the theatre, garden centres or shopping trips.
Potential residents are most welcome to visit the Home and view the facilities.
Limited respite accommodation is available.
Eileen Carlton, Home Manager, welcomes enquiries at any time and can provide a tour for those considering residency or a respite break.