How to choose a care home

If you have decided to move into a care home, it can be an emotional time. It's important to find the place that feels right for you and a care provider that you have confidence in. A good care home will provide a stimulating and happy social environment with lots of activities, trips and events. You can make new friends and learn new things if you wish. Depending on your medical condition, weekends with your loved ones can be arranged. The important thing is that you feel able to make your own decisions, safe in the knowledge that your care home staff will support you.  

When you visit care homes, it is good to visit as many as possible to get a feel for what you would like. It is a good idea to take a friend or relative (or both) with you for a different perspective.

If you are looking for a care home on behalf of a friend or relative, try to include them in the search and final decision as much as possible. They will probably be concerned about many things, including the thought of losing treasured possessions, perceived loss of independence and of course moving out of a family home.  

We have prepared a checklist of things you may wish to consider when comparing one home with another. Use our checklist to help you prepare your own personal list of requirements. It will help you to get more from your visits and ultimately choose the place that is right for you. 

Click here to view our checklist.

To view Care UK care homes in your area, click here to visit our Care Finder.