Essential Advice for Choosing a Care Home

There is a common misconception that care home life is not enjoyable, but the truth is that if you select a care home that is of a high quality, you can ensure that the person you are choosing the care home for, leads a high-quality life that they enjoy to the full. The later years of life can be fulfilling years, it is just a case of ensuring that when it comes to the care home that you choose, you are selective about it.
 

Choosing a care home for a loved one is going to be one of the most important decisions that you ever make, which is why it is so vital that you get it right. You need to make sure that the care facility that you have chosen for your loved one is able to offer everything that they need and more. You also want to ensure that it is a happy and comfortable place, and that the residents are well cared for by the team there.
 

The handy guide below contains a selection of pointers that you can implement and use to ensure that when it comes to selecting a care home for your loved one, that you know all of the things to look for, as well as all of the right questions to ask.

 

Research local facilities
 

The first step when it comes to considering a care home is to take the time to research what facilities are available in your local area. While there may be care homes that you prefer further afield, a vital part of making your loved one’s later years enjoyable is being nearby to be able to visit them.
 

Once you have found a local facility that you like - or a couple of local options - the next step is to consider how well those facilities could cater to your loved one’s needs, both now and in the future. If you think that it could, the next step is to ask if there are any vacancies - there is no point getting excited about a certain care home before you know if there are any spaces available.
 

Before choosing a care home, make sure to read the most up to date inspection report. You can ask the care home to provide it or if not, you can find it online.

 

Take accessibility into account
 

The next factor to consider is accessibility - how accessible is the care home that you favour? Just because your loved one is going into a care facility, that does not mean that they won’t want to see their friends and family, so determining how accessible a place it is, is of vital importance.
 

Are friends and family able to visit on a regular basis - is there a limit to how often they can visit? Is there adequate on-site parking? Are there activities close by that you can take your loved one to do? Is there a suitable place of worship nearby? Is the care home wheelchair friendly, so that any relatives or friends with mobility problems can visit easily?

 

Book a visit
 

The next step is to book a visit to view the care home in person. When you arrive, make sure to take a range of factors into account. Look at the state of the building and gardens - are they well looked after? Does the care facility feel welcoming and inviting? Is the facility clean? How does it smell - it should smell clean and fresh? Are the bedrooms nicely heated or are they cold and draughty? Are the bedrooms well decorated and personalised?
 

There is a lot that you need to ask when you attend a care home visit, to ensure that the care home that you are visiting is up to scratch when it comes to quality. Take your time when looking around and don’t be afraid to do some digging. You want to make sure that what the care home looks like on first impressions is the kind of place that it actually is.
 

It is also crucial to take the staff into account. Are the team members friendly and welcoming? Do they appear to be kind and caring? Ask whether there is always a manager on call and a senior member of staff in charge. It is also worth asking about what the ratio is of staff to residents so that you know how much care and attention your loved one will get.

 

What’s the routine like?
 

The next thing to focus on is the routine that the care home offers. What you want to determine is what daily life will be like for your loved one once they are in a care home. Take a look at the care home and consider how everyone seems to be sat. Are residents sat together in little groups chatting or sat individually? This suggests how sociable the people tend to be. Are the team members integrated with the residents, chatting with them and checking on them?
 

How happy do the residents seem? Don’t be afraid to chat with some of them to find out more about what daily life is like for them. Are there other residents who you feel your loved one would get on well with and could relate to? It is also important to ask if pets are welcome at the facility, so that your loved one can bring their pets with them, if they have any, that is.
 

How is each day spent? The next question that you want to ask is how each day is spent. Is there a set daily schedule or do things change each day? Are there activities put on throughout the week and day trips to different places, both locally and further afield? Are there a range of spaces for socialising, such as a lounge, reading room, arts and crafts space, and so on? Is there a salon on site for hair and nails? Are there fitness activities and facilities on offer?
 

Before you choose a care facility for your loved one, it is vital that you are aware of what the routine is like, and how they will be expected to spend their time.

 

Is the food good?
 

Then there is the question of what the food is like. What you want to determine is what food is offered at the care home of your choice and whether it will be a good fit for your relative. Ask things like what times meals are served at, what options are available - is it just hot food or a combination of hot and cold food? How often do the menus change? Are resident preferences taken into account? Can visitors come for tea with their loved one, and if so, how does that work - where would you eat?
 

It is also important to consider where food is sourced from and how freshly it is made. Don’t be afraid to ask these kinds of questions, and it is vital that you do, to ensure that your loved one gets a place at a care home that provides a high quality of living.
 

There you have it, a guide to everything that you need to know about choosing a care home.