Cedars Care Home Brings Home Prestigious Palliative Award

Cedars Care Home has won the Support for Family Carers Award at the recent final of the Palliative and End-of-Life Awards.

The Support for Family Carers Award recognises exceptional support provided to residents and their families at an emotional time, within ‘a comfortable and welcoming environment’.

The Cedars team and Debbie Day, the home’s end-of-life lead (and national winner of the Great British Care Awards’ palliative care trophy in 2019), did exactly that, according to the judges. They described Cedars as “A wonderful team that should take pride in their work”, adding “The organisation’s culture emphasises care and meticulous attention to detail. They not only support the residents and their families but also care for each other”.

“Winning the Support for Family Carers Award was a truly wonderful moment, and a testament to the team’s compassion, dedication and determination to give our residents the death they want and deserve. It’s also amazing – and humbling – to be recognised for how we support the families at an incredibly difficult and emotional time,” says Cedars’ home manager, Victor Zingoni.

The Southend-based home was also a finalist in the Palliative Residential Care Provider category, with Debbie in the running for The Lifetime Achievement to Excellence in Palliative Care Award.

Debbie says: “To be finalists in no fewer than three categories, among such an amazing array of top palliative care, is incredible but it’s such an achievement for the home to win the Support for Family Carers Award.”

Cedars’ view is that death should be seen as another important part of life’s journey, just as birth is. “We believe in giving someone the death they want and then it’s all about getting those arrangements in place in good time, not at the last minute. The person’s wishes should always be respected,” says Debbie.