Abbeyfield Member Societies in Hertfordshire | 1 Care Home

Review of
Abbeyfield Friars Mead
from Klaus B (Regular Volunteer) published on 25 November 2024

Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience

I had the privilege of volunteering at Abbeyfield Friars Mead Garden Day. I was warmly welcomed and took pride in supporting the care home staff, fellow volunteers, and family members to ensure the garden looked its best. Meeting the residents and hardworking staff was truly rewarding. I would like

to thank the team for including me at Abbeyfield Friars Mead. I look forward to volunteering again.

Reply from Ricardo Da Silva Freitas, Registered Service Manager at Abbeyfield Friars Mead

Dear Klaus, thank you so much for your heartfelt review! We truly appreciate the time and effort you dedicated to supporting our garden day at Abbeyfield Friars Mead. It's wonderful to hear that you felt welcomed and valued as part of our community. Your contribution made a significant difference in enhancing the environment for our residents, staff, and fellow volunteers. We're glad you found the experience rewarding and we look forward to welcoming you back for more volunteer opportunities in the future. Thank you once again for your support and commitment!

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Review of
Abbeyfield Friars Mead
from J D (Daughter of Resident) published on 21 October 2024

Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience

From the moment we arrived at Friars with my father, we felt the warmth and professionalism of everyone at the Home.
It is reassuring to know that Dad is being so well looked after, and he often says how much he is enjoying the delicious meals and many organised activities.
We feel genuinely grateful

to have found such a special place for Dad to stay, thank you all for welcoming us to the Friars family.

Reply from Ricardo Da Silva Freitas, Registered Service Manager at Abbeyfield Friars Mead

Thank you so much for your heartfelt review. We are truly delighted to hear that you and your father felt welcomed and supported from the moment you arrived at Friars. It warms our hearts to know that he is enjoying the delicious meals and engaging activities we offer. Your appreciation for our team's dedication to providing warmth and professionalism means the world to us. We are grateful to have you and your father as part of the Friars family and we look forward to continuing to create a special environment for him. Thank you once again for your kind words!

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Review of
Abbeyfield Friars Mead
from Gary B (Son of Resident) published on 15 October 2024

Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience

My Mother spent a week's respite care with Friars Mead in September and enjoyed it so much that she is planning to move in full-time. During the respite care, her general well-being had improved no end and I have nothing but praise for the staff who cared for her during that period. I have visited Friars

Mead several times since and every time I have found them so helpful and understanding, so, I would like to thank them all for their kindness.

Reply from Ricardo Da Silva Freitas, Registered Service Manager at Abbeyfield Friars Mead

Dear Gary, thank you so much for your kind words and for taking the time to share your positive experience with Friars Mead. We are delighted to hear that your mother enjoyed her respite care and that her well-being improved during her stay. Our team strives to provide the best care and support and it is heartwarming to know that their efforts made a difference. We are thrilled that your mother is considering moving in full-time and look forward to welcoming her into our community. Your feedback is incredibly valuable to us and we will make sure to pass on your praise to our staff. Thank you once again for your trust and support from all in the Friars Mead team.

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Review of
Abbeyfield Friars Mead
from P H (Son of Resident) published on 15 October 2024

Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience

The below ratings say it all. The standard of care provided to my father during two respite stays was first class. Staff and management were extremely attentive, caring and treated Dad with dignity. Thank you.

Reply from Ricardo Da Silva Freitas, Registered Service Manager at Abbeyfield Friars Mead

Dear Phillip, thank you for your wonderful review and for sharing your father's experience with us. We are thrilled to hear that the care provided during his respite stays met your high standards and that our staff and management were able to make a positive impact. It is our priority to ensure that all residents are treated with the utmost care and dignity and your kind words affirm the hard work and dedication of our team. We will be sure to pass on your gratitude to everyone involved in your father's care. Thank you once again for your trust and support from all of the team at Friars Mead!

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Review of
Abbeyfield Friars Mead
from Wendy H (Daughter of Resident) published on 15 October 2024

Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience

So far so good.
The staff at Friars Mead are amazing. My Dad doesn't have a bad word to say about them. They have helped us all and are always friendly and can't do enough for you.
It is very homely and the staff try and make Dad participate in the activities.
He went on a lovely boat trip which

he thoroughly enjoyed. Dad has really enjoyed being able to get outside in the good weather. Thank you.

Reply from Ricardo Da Silva Freitas, Registered Service Manager at Abbeyfield Friars Mead

Dear Wendy, thank you for your kind review and for sharing your father's positive experience at Friars Mead. We are delighted to hear that he is enjoying his time with us and that our staff have been able to make a difference in his daily life. It's wonderful to know that he enjoyed the boat trip and has been able to take advantage of the good weather. We strive to create a homely environment and encourage participation in activities, so it's heart warming to hear that your father feels at home and engaged. Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and we will pass on your thanks to our team. We look forward to continuing to provide the best care and support for your father. Thank You from the entire team at Friars Mead!

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Review of
Abbeyfield Friars Mead
from Justine L (Daughter of Resident) published on 9 October 2024

Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience

My mother has been at Friars Mead for over a year now. In that time there has been a big improvement in her wellbeing and outlook. The staff have been fantastic, they look after her with great care and compassion and I feel she is in very safe hands which puts my mind at rest. Thank you Friars Mead.

Reply from Ricardo Da Silva Freitas, Registered Service Manager at Abbeyfield Friars Mead

Dear Justine, Thank you so much for your kind words and for taking the time to share your experience. We are delighted to hear about the positive impact Friars Mead has had on your mother's well-being and outlook. It's wonderful to know that our team's care and compassion have provided comfort and peace of mind for both you and your mother. We also appreciate your valuable feedback and will continue striving to provide the highest standard of care. Warm regards, The Friars Mead Team.

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Review of
Abbeyfield Friars Mead
from J O (Daughter of Resident) published on 23 September 2024

Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience

Our Mother moved in January 2024. Her needs are constantly changing and staff make adaptations accordingly.
All the staff are friendly, and caring and know the residents well.
It has a relaxed family feel amongst residents and staff.
Communication with us has been effective and liaison with agencies

is good. Our Mother's physical and emotional needs are met very well.
All our concerns are addressed quickly by senior staff.
I cannot speak highly enough of Friars Mead.

Reply from Ricardo Da Silva Freitas, Registered Service Manager at Abbeyfield Friars Mead

Thank you for your kind words and thoughtful review of Friars Mead. We are truly grateful for your trust in us to care for your mother. It's heartening to hear that our team's efforts to adapt to her changing needs and ensure her comfort are appreciated.We strive to create a welcoming, family-like atmosphere, and it's wonderful to know that both you and your mother feel this way. Our staff takes pride in building strong relationships with our residents, and it's encouraging to hear that you find the communication and support effective.Your positive feedback about our care, facilities, and management means a great deal to us. We want to assure you that we are always here to address any concerns promptly and ensure that your mother's physical and emotional well-being is our top priority.Thank you once again for your lovely review. We are honoured to have been part of your mother's care journey.

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Review of
Abbeyfield Friars Mead
from Barry S (Son-in-law of Resident) published on 28 December 2023

Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience

Staff and home very warm and welcoming.
My mother-in-law is very happy and enjoys the interaction and help from the staff and from day one has felt very much at home at Friars Mead.

Reply from Ricardo Da Silva Freitas, Manager at Abbeyfield Friars Mead

Our team appreciate the kind words. We strive to make everyone comfortable and welcome. Thanks for trusting us with the important work of looking after your mother-in-law. Thank you

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Review of
Abbeyfield Friars Mead
from V S (Daughter of Resident) published on 28 December 2023

Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience

The staff are personable, friendly and caring.
My mother is very happy, well cared for, in this small, friendly environment.
Friars Mead keeps us updated at all times should there be a problem!
It is great to go into this very warm, welcoming care home.

Reply from Ricardo Da Silva Freitas, Manager at Abbeyfield Friars Mead

Thank you for the kind words, we are so happy to hear that Friars Mead keeps doing good work. Looking after Mum and making sure she is happy is our priority. We want everyone to feel welcome.

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Review of
Abbeyfield Friars Mead
from D T (Granddaughter of Resident) published on 18 May 2023

Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience

Such a friendly and vibrant atmosphere which has contributed to the improvement of my nan's overall well-being. Seeing her thrive in this environment brings such comfort. The staff interacted with her with an abundance of good humour and great care. It has a colourful warm feel to the entire home with

beautiful and fresh flowers in every room. The social events and opportunities to mingle and make friends have bought my nan a new lease of life. She feels like she's on a permanent holiday! Thank you so much for the kindness you show.

Reply from Ricardo Da Silva Freitas, Manager at Abbeyfield Friars Mead

Thank you for the kind words. We appreciate your openness and I am so glad your nan feels like it's a permanent holiday. Our resident's happiness means everything to us and we want them to live their best lives. Thank you for us all.

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Review of
Abbeyfield Friars Mead
from Elisabeth S (Daughter of Resident) published on 25 November 2022

Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience

Very clean and comfortable home.
Lovely bedrooms with ensuite.
Very friendly and caring staff, which is also extended to relatives.
Good and tasty meals.
Would highly recommend this care home.

Reply from Ricardo Da Silva Freitas, Manager at Abbeyfield Friars Mead

Dear Elisabeth, we appreciate your review and response. Thank you for your positive words and view on our care home. Always a pleasure to support our residents and their families to the highest possible standards. Thank you from all the Friars Mead Team.

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Review of
Abbeyfield Friars Mead
from Jane O (Daughter of Resident) published on 26 October 2022

Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience

My Mum has been in Friars Mead for 5 months and I know that I made the right choice for her. Mum is totally blind and needed to feel safe in a smaller environment, so with only 25/26 rooms, Friars Mead seemed perfect for her. I have continued to be impressed with the high level of care and attention

that she has received. Settling Mum into the care home when she had previously been living independently was quite a challenge with her disability, but I can honestly say that the staff have been great in their dealings with her. In the early days when I needed something to make life easier for her nothing was ever too much trouble. There are lots of well-run activities. The food is excellent and I say this from first-hand experience having eaten there with Mum on a couple of occasions. I would have no hesitation in recommending this well-run care home to others looking to place their loved ones somewhere safe where they will be treated with the love and respect that they deserve.

Reply from Ricardo Da Silva Freitas, Manager at Abbeyfield Friars Mead

Dear Jane, we appreciate the kind words and your view and experience of our care home. I would truly want nothing more than to keep your Mum happy and safe for times to come. Thank you for your trust in us as Friars Mead.

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Review of
Abbeyfield Friars Mead
from Jeremy B (Son of Resident) published on 9 September 2022

Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience

One of the main reasons for choosing Friars Mead was that it seemed very friendly, and almost 'home away from home'. My mother has been at the home for 16 months now and those initial impressions were absolutely correct. The staff, in all departments, are excellent, and I have seen them treat residents

with a kind, calm and dignified manner without exception. They always know where my Mum is and how she is feeling whenever I visit. There have been a growing number of events and activities that are all very well planned and enjoyed by all. The food is tasty and menus varied. The management of the threat of covid was/is extremely impressive. I would have no hesitation in recommending Friars Mead.

Reply from Ricardo Da Silva Freitas, Registered Manager at Abbeyfield Friars Mead

I would like to thank you Jeremy for taking the time to review and comment on our care home Friars Mead. We are always here to help and create a safe, enjoyable, home-from-home environment. Thank you!

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Review of
Abbeyfield Friars Mead
from Simon H (Son of Resident) published on 9 August 2022

Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience

My mother has been at Friars Mead for nearly 4 years now. Overall she has and remains to be happy there. My first impression when I initially went there was a feeling of friendliness and cleanliness. My previous experience of walking into other homes was the smell of stale urine and this was not the

case at Friars Mead! The staff are very caring there and I am happy knowing that my mother is being cared for at a good standard. There has been a change of management over the last few months, which like any organisation has had its issues. This has stabilised and some changes are starting to make a difference now to the day-to-day running. From my point of view, I would always recommend Friars Mead for value and the level of care.

Reply from Ricardo Da Silva Freitas, Registered Service Manager at Abbeyfield Friars Mead

Dear Simon, thank you for your kind words and support. We hope to keep striving to improve and make Friars Mead a care home where the residents are home and happy. Thank you.

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Review of
Abbeyfield Friars Mead
from D H (Resident) assisted by family/friend published on 8 October 2021

Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience

I am now very happy and settled here. Everyone is kind and good.

Reply from Julie Hutchins, Manager at Abbeyfield Friars Mead

Thank you for your review. You certainly are happy and settled and we are so pleased to have you as a valued member of our home.

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Review of
Abbeyfield Friars Mead
from K H (Respite Resident) published on 24 September 2021

Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience

Management communication with residents and staff is poor. Room standard was not to a good standard. Lighting not good enough for comfortable reading. In the bathroom, the WC would not flush properly and the washbasin was cracked. No hot water in the early mornings or evenings. No tables were provided

for meals. Only seating was two heavy chairs without reading lights and situated apart so that both residents could only see TV screens at 45 degree angles. TV and control did not function properly together. For the first few days, we did not have tables to eat off, just plates or trays on our knees. Hot food generally arrived lukewarm.
My wife had been told during our show round about three weeks before our stay that assistance would be available to bath. Assistance was not available until halfway through the week. The manager did not respond to the request (passed on by staff) for a meeting to discuss requests, until day five of the week (two days before we left). Toilet flush was repaired on day five. The manager did not appear to realise we had been requesting improvements. The staff were very pleasant and helpful at all times but did not appear to be acquainted with the details we had provided on forms given to us by the manager after our walk round about three weeks earlier.
I should add that I had come straight from Day Surgery at the Hospital. We had booked in for one week respite care. Friars Mead said I would need to quarantine - OK. We had requested separate rooms, expecting my wife could join the other residents for meals and social activities, which she did for the day I was in hospital. Instead, we were allocated a twin bedroom which had apparently not been used for some time. The facilities were not as described when we were shown round the home about three weeks before. The review, therefore, relates our experiences for respite care. It was very expensive for the facilities we actually experienced. Friars Mead was obviously not set up for respite care, with little thought to what was needed or checking that facilities were working properly.

Reply from Julie Hutchins, Manager at Abbeyfield Friars Mead

Sorry to hear that you have not had a positive experience with us, however even sadder that many of these issues were not addressed at the time. Clearly it was mis-understood what facilities and services we were providing. If we had been more aware of your concerns at the time they could have been quickly rectified or explained and I am sure your stay would have been a better experience as it is with other residents. Moving from one’s home into a care home can be a timely and emotional process - to fully settle it takes all parties time to adapt to new facilities, procedures and needs etc. One week respite care cannot paint the perfect picture of a full and normal service – especially when quarantine in a room is required. We have obviously addressed all the matters raised in your review directly with you both and I believe we have been fair in accepting some criticisms along with reducing your bill as a goodwill gesture. We continue to evaluate all feedback and work on our procedures and communication.

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Review of
Abbeyfield Friars Mead
from M H (Daughter of Resident) published on 1 September 2021

Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience

It has been an extremely unusual year with Covid. However, my father and all the residents were kept healthy and safe, which meant there were no losses due to the pandemic. Life was very difficult for my father as he often felt isolated, especially when confined to his bedroom, as he is a very social

person, but I understand the reasons for this. A pod was set up for visitors as soon as allowed, and it is great that he is allowed out and about again. Thank you to all the staff at Friars Mead for keeping him safe.

Reply from Julie Hutchins, Manager at Abbeyfield Friars Mead

Thank you, Maureen, for your feedback. The pandemic certainly hit everybody hard, but it has certainly been a difficult time for residents in a care home, and especially for their families. It means a lot to the staff at Friars Mead to know that their hard work is appreciated and that both residents and families are happy and safe.

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Review of
Abbeyfield Friars Mead
from June C (Daughter-in-law of Resident) published on 30 August 2021

Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience

Friars Mead is a very friendly and caring care home. Communications have always been excellent with the manager and all the staff. We have been happy with the policies and procedures during covid which has been very difficult for everyone but so please that the residents were kept safe, felt like an

extended family.

Reply from Carolyn Hill, PR & Marketing Manager at Abbeyfield Friars Mead

Thank you for your kind words. Covid has been a difficult time for staff, residents and their families but it is a joy to hear that our hard work during this pandemic has paid off as our residents continue to be happy and safe.

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Review of
Abbeyfield Friars Mead
from Sylvia R (Resident) published on 27 August 2021

Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience

I have been a resident in Friars Mead for 2 months, after living alone in my own bungalow. I settled in immediately and have received nothing but help, kindness and immediate response from management, carers and maintenance staff. A very happy care home.

Reply from Carolyn Hill, PR & Marketing Manager at Abbeyfield Friars Mead

Thank you for your kind review Sylvia. It is lovely to have you living at Friars Mead and we are pleased that you feel settled and well looked after - Happy residents make a happy home for everyone.

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Review of
Abbeyfield Friars Mead
from Nigel J (Son-in-law of Resident) published on 6 January 2021

Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience

In our hour of need, the manager provided very caring and pragmatic options for the family to consider. It has been very much appreciated. I have no hesitation in recommending people to discuss care options with the home.

Reply from Lucie Walker, Digital Marketing Manager at Abbeyfield Friars Mead

Thank you for your kind review, Nigel. We appreciate you taking the time to recommend Friars Mead.

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Abbeyfield Member Societies Locations in Hertfordshire (1)

Abbeyfield Member Societies Reviews in Hertfordshire (37)

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