Choosing the best care home for you or your loved ones

Choosing a care home can be hard, whether it is for yourself, or one of your loved ones and for many can be a difficult decision to decide which care home to pick, as they want it to be a place that can feel like home. For some, a care home is a place where individuals can be in the company of others and can help to relieve loneliness, and for others, it can be a place where individuals can be supported with their care needs in a safe place. Discussing the topic of care homes with a loved one can cause a range of emotions, including feeling guilty that they cannot be cared for at home anymore, and also fear from the individual moving due to common misconceptions, such as loss of independence and being forgotten about, and it is important to remember that these emotions are normal. But how do you decide on which care home to pick? And what should be looked out for when deciding? We have composed a helpful list of things to consider when choosing a care home.

Understand needs

There are so many different types of care homes, some specialising in different care, such as Dementia care, and other’s offering homes with nurses on site etc. Speak to local teams and decide what type of care is needed, helping to narrow down the search for care homes, and find something best suiting your needs.

Visit the care home

After discussing care options and finding care home in the local area, it is important to actually visit the care home and see the home in person, including asking to look at their options of food, levels of staffing, facilities, and entertainment available, policies on having visitors, and what they are allowed to bring from home to help them to settle into their new home. For some, it may also be important to look at what the mix of residents in the care home is, for example, gender.

Location

Location is important when choosing a care home, as it may be ideal for it to be close so friends and families can visit often and can be there to support the individual if anything is needed. It also provides a sense of familiarity for the individual moving into a care home, who may know the area well, helping them to settle in.

Communication

Communication is important between family members, but also between those working/living in the care home. Speak to the staff who work at the care home to see what kind of support they give and whether or not they enjoy working at the home. Also, if possible, speak to some of the residents who already live there (depending on their circumstances) and get their unbiased opinion.

Social Media

Follow the care home’s you are interested in on social media and keep an eye out on their website for regular updates. This can give an insight into what kind of activities take place on a daily basis, if the home gets involved with the community, and what special events they most host. 

Budget

Set a budget for how much you’re looking to spend each money and find suitable homes within this price range. Find out the fees of the home, how much it is going to cost and what is included in the price. Make sure you know what additional extras you may have to pay before signing a contract, and make sure it is within your budget.