Choosing a care home for a person you love – very possibly a parent that looked after you and brought you up – is one of the most difficult decisions you can ever face.
Where do you start? Looking for a care home is normally only done as a last resort – when a person can no longer be cared for at home and all other options are exhausted.
It can be a very stressful time and it’s likely the relative in question will be very anti the move.
There’s little doubt that reputation and word of mouth recommendation are still one of the best ways of getting a steer. Ask around. Think about who you know that has a friend or relative in a care home. Would they recommend it?
Check a home’s website and check for any independent reviews – that will give you a good feel for the place.
Look what services a home offers. Does it have everything your relative will need both now and in the future?
Where is the care home based? Can you get to it easily? Is it on a bus route if you’re using public transport?
The www.carehomes.co.uk website is a very good resource and guide to what’s out there. Check that and try and draw up a short list of no more than three.
Visiting care homes can be tiring and draining – try not to have to visit too many. Do your research beforehand.
Don’t make an appointment – turn up unannounced. It’s the only way to really know what a place is really like.
Try and visit in office hours – that way you’ll have more chance of getting all the information you need as all the staff and management will be in.
Make a note of what the atmosphere is like. Do the staff smile, is there laughter?
What’s the odour like? A care home shouldn’t have a general odour – if there’s an unpleasant odour, they’re not doing things right.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Take a list of pre-prepared questions with you.
Care Quality Commission (CQC) reports are a good measure of standards but remember, they normally only reflect a single day and might not be representative of the home when you visit.
Care UK also provide handy advice and checklists: http://www.ageuk.org.uk/home-and-care/care-homes/finding-a-care-home/