Health and safety that goes the extra mile

When you trust your loved one to a care home, you deserve to have total peace of mind that staff are providing competent care that always ensures your family member’s safety and happiness.

At Simblija Care Home, our health and safety protocols go far beyond simply complying with standard regulations. We implement detailed, holistic, and ongoing processes that see our various teams of staff work collaboratively to safeguard residents against all manner of risk and harm throughout the entire home.

Under the guidance of the General Manager, our health and safety measures are under constant review to make sure they’re in line with the latest best-practice guidelines, providing each member of staff with official procedures to handle all manner of scenarios efficiently and effectively. Broadly speaking, these measures cover cleanliness and hygiene, security of residents and premises, as well as food safety.

Since the outbreak of COVID, hygiene has been at the forefront of everyone’s minds, more so than ever before. At Simblija, we have always taken cleanliness and hygiene extremely seriously as we believe this is key to providing our residents with truly safe and fresh-feeling surroundings that encourage residents to relax and feel at ease. Not only are rooms and public areas around the home cleaned on a daily basis but we also have strict infection control policies and procedures in place to maintain a clean and hygienic environment at all times.

While COVID measures have eased, we continue to remain vigilant in order to mitigate any risk of contagion. For this reason, visitors to the home are still requested to provide vaccination certificates upon entry and we continue to monitor temperatures. In all that we do, we strive to take a preventative approach rather than firefighting issues when they arise.

Our security protocols are also extensive. Each room is conveniently fitted with emergency call bells so that residents can easily contact a qualified nurse or member of staff at any time day or night. Moreover, our highly trained security team monitors the entire premises 24/7 on foot and via security cameras, ensuring residents are observed without ever feeling as if their privacy is being intruded upon.

All members of staff are trained in various security measures, including first aid and fire protection. When things appear out of place or an emergency arises, they are equipped with the resources and protocols they need to assist residents quickly and efficiently.

We also recognise the need to implement additional security measures to safeguard those who are most vulnerable in our care. As such, all doors within our dementia ward are card controlled to ensure residents can’t wander off. Window handles have also been removed so that they can only be opened by staff when requested. We also take great care to create public areas that feel warm and inviting. After all, we want our residents to relax and enjoy fulfilling lives with us. We encourage group activities and communal dinners to give residents a feeling of safety and community, empowering them to fully engage with life at Simblija. To prevent the spreading of any kind of virus, we have also installed a specialised air purifier machine within communal areas.

When it comes to food, our kitchen team understands the seriousness of hazards that may arise from food handling and preparation. That’s why we require each member of the kitchen team to be trained in food safety laws and to comply with hygiene practices established in HACCP guidelines and supported by Standard Operating Procedures established by the food service industry. Our Head Chef continues to monitor and refine procedures, ensuring each member of the kitchen team is adequately briefed on correct sealing, labelling, and storing methods to completely avoid risk of contamination or poisoning. This means residents can look forward to delicious and healthy meals that are always fresh and nutritious.

With these wide-ranging health and safety measures in place, we’re confident in our ability to safeguard our residents and provide them with a happy home that improves their quality of life.

For more information on Simblija Care Home, get in touch by contacting us here.

Christmas Extravaganza

Christmas Extravaganza at AX Care

Are you ready for the Christmas season? We definitely are! In Malta, we love our Christmas season and soon you’ll be able to see houses with colourful, festive lights popping up all over the country, much earlier than tradition expects!

The Hilltop Gardens Christmas Market

The festive season’s preparations are in full swing at Hilltop Gardens. Our team is preparing a luxe Christmas Extravaganza in the Village. On Sunday 4th December, we shall be opening our doors to the public to come and experience our annual Christmas Market, taking place within The Crescent Lobby, Triq L-Inkwina, Naxxar. The area shall be brimming with local artisans selling all types of products that make for perfect gifts for others, or simply to spoil yourself this Christmas season! Among the stalls you’ll find rich spices, ceramics, cakes and sweet treats, handmade items, decorative objects, exotic-smelling candles, and so much more! The smell of cinnamon-loaded mulled wine wafting through the stalls will tempt you and your loved ones to stop for a glass.

Our Christmas market shall be open from 10am till 5pm with parking available on a first come first serve basis which will make your visit that much more pleasurable.

The Food that Brings Us Together

Christmas is not Christmas if it doesn’t involve the food that brings generations together at one table. Our expert kitchen team at The Orchard have prepared glorious festive menus crafted with passion and including the freshest of seasonal local produce and the best meat cuts from across the miles, simply for the pure enjoyment of patrons.

Give our team a call on 2235 1045 to book your table ahead of time!

Festive Family Events at Simblija

Our community at Simblija will be well and truly cared for over the Christmas season with a program of events jam-packed with entertainment and activities that bring residents and their families together. Santa Claus is expected to visit and do room rounds to meet our residents. Santa’s big red bag is always a cherished gift that puts wide smiles on all our residents’ faces.

Christmas Day mass at The Chapel will be celebrated by Chaplain Fr Julian Cassar at 10.30 am and animated by Ylenia Vella, followed by Christmas Lunch at noon. A number of masses will be said at The Chapel over New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day with one at 5 pm and another at 7 pm on the eve, and on New Year’s Day at 10.30 am and 11.30 am in English, both animated by Ylenia Vella.

At Simblija, the Christmas season is not just about entertainment but also about active ageing and about residents living a fulfilled life surrounded by family and friends, even at this festive time. Our dedicated events that they look forward to so much and that go a long way in lifting their spirits, however, are the cherry on the proverbial cake.

AX Group Supports Lifecycle Foundation

The AX Group is pleased to be sponsoring LifeCycle 2022, a local charitable organisation who will be embarking on a 2,000km trip from Buenos Aires (Argentina) to Santiago (Chile) this March in their noble quest to raise funds and awareness in support of renal patients across Malta and Gozo. All funds generated by this initiative will go towards research in determining causes and cures of kidney disease, improving the support systems and quality of life for patients in these wards, as well as raising awareness of the illness. The LifeCycle challenge is an annual event first held in 1999, with the same aim it has today, to support patients suffering from end-stage renal disease. Each year, a dedicated team of Maltese cyclist’s tackle what is one of the most gruelling endurance events there is, cycling an average of 2,000km over only ten days.

“Such endeavours harmonise with the AX Group’s values,” said Mr Michael Warrington, CEO of the AX Group. “On the one hand they add value to the community by promoting active lifestyles and overcoming obstacles, and on the other they greatly contribute towards raising funds and awareness for very important causes. The AX Group, and its employees at Hilltop Retirement Village and Simblija Care Home, are pleased to be able to do their part by way of offering support and furthering exposure for these causes.”

The general public may donate to the LifeCycle through cash payments or cheques, big or small, addressed to “LifeCycle Foundation” at Hilltop Gardens, Triq Inkwina, Naxxar, or alternatively via Revolut transaction on 99329101.