Home gets warning after 'infantilising' residents

A care home has been placed in special measures after an inspection found staff spoke to residents like they were children and had nothing for them to do other than watch television.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) carried out the assessment at Swan Care Home in Tillingham, Essex, in response to concerns it had received about the service.

During the inspection in 2025, the care watchdog found nine breaches of regulations relating to person-centred care, dignity and respect, consent, risk management, safeguarding, premises, governance, staffing and recruitment.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service contacted the care home for comment.

During the site visit, inspectors said they heard a person who was crying and confused, telling staff, "I don't know where I am". They noted a staff member telling a person: "You are in a care home. You can sit down. Good girl, be quiet, please."

The report said that while the intention was to be reassuring, "this was infantilising as it treated the person in a way which did not respect their maturity and experience".

A statement added: "The provider did not take account of people's strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

"Although some people's interests were recorded, staff lacked information to guide them on how to treat people as individuals, as well as training in key areas such as how to communicate with people living with dementia."

CQC added that people did not have any meaningful engagement with staff, and there was little to do all day except for sit in the living room facing the television.

They say some people had items placed next to them, such as jigsaw puzzles, but were unable to participate without staff support.

One resident's relative told the CQC the activities were in a cupboard, but they have never seen them used. They added that their relative would like to go to church, but this request cannot be met.

Another person was seen to remain alone in their room all day and was later supported to bed before 19:00 despite staff being told the individual preferred to go to bed at 21:30 to 22:00.

Some relatives had complained residents were left in their rooms for hours, hungry and thirsty.

The CQC served a warning notice on provider Airaa Swaan Ltd.

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