Support in starting your journey into care
It can be hard to know what a 'good care home' looks like
Acknowledging that you or a loved one may no longer be able to remain at home and may need to move to a care home can be a life changing experience. It also frequently occurs during a time of additional stress, for example when the health of a loved one has deteriorated.
However, if you have never visited a care home before and have no previous experience of the care home sector how do you know what a good care home looks like? And what are the red flags to watch out for?
We’re here to help. At Care UK, we are experts in providing quality care. We’ve put together this guide to help you know how to choose a care home by understanding how to spot good care homes.
Why your choice of care home matters
You might feel under pressure to make a quick decision about choosing a care home for a loved one, but try to take your time if you can. It’s an important choice and getting it right from the start will save you a lot of stress down the line.
A good care home can be the difference between seeing your loved one happy and thriving during the next stage of their life or just getting by.
After making your initial enquiries, you’ll want to book a viewing to see the care home for yourself. Read more advice from Care UK about choosing a care home here.
First impressions: atmosphere, teams and environment
You’ll be able to tell a lot from your first visit simply by the way you feel in the care home. The best care homes will make sure every visitor is greeted with a bright, clean and welcoming environment.
Each care home will have its own look and feel, but life in a good care home will always have a calm, friendly atmosphere. Team members, from senior leaders to administrative colleagues and carers to catering teams, should make you feel at home and answer any questions you have. Good care homes have caring and responsive teams who know each resident really well, so be sure to watch how team members speak to residents in the home.
At Care UK, our colleagues live our values of passionate, caring and teamwork to empower residents to enjoy fulfilling lives throughout their care journey.
Standards of care and support
A fresh look and feel and luxury facilities are all great additions, but when you’re viewing a care home, look out for ways the team puts resident care and safety first.
In a good care home, residents should be supported to keep healthy, active and independent, and good care home care will be personalised to each person’s individual needs and wishes. For example, Care UK’s ethos of fulfilling lives means we support each resident to live life in the way they choose, regardless of cognitive or physical ability or infirmity.
One way a care home’s quality of care is measured is through independent regulators: the Care Quality Commission in England, the Care Inspectorate Scotland, the Care Inspectorate Wales and the Jersey Care Commission in Jersey.
These bodies register and inspect care services to maintain and improve their quality of service, and they publish ratings you should review and consider as part of your care home selection process. You can also check third-party reviews. We provide reviews from carehome.co.uk on each care home’s webpage.
At Care UK, providing quality care is our top priority. Our excellent facilities, dedicated teams and regular training all play a part in delivering a high standard of care to residents. This is evidenced by our quality ratings, which are some of the highest of the UK’s larger care providers.
Specialist care: when to look for specific expertise
If your loved one is living with dementia or complex needs, you should consider services that offer more specialist care when making your care home selection.
If your loved one has more complex care needs, you may have more questions when choosing the right care home, such as how the care home environment has been designed for people living with dementia and whether the team has received additional training to support individuals with certain conditions.
Activities, food, and community life
You will find a range of activities tailored to residents’ individual hobbies and interests, as well as their abilities, provided by good care homes. Opportunities for meaningful occupation should be developed from residents life stories to ensure that individuals are able to continue taking part in and engaging with previous and current interests and pastimes. In addition, good care homes recognise that residents may wish to explore new activities and interests – moving into a care home can be the start of making lots of new memories!
When it comes to food and dining, the best care homes will provide quality homecooked meals, made from scratch and tailored to residents’ personal tastes and preferences, as well as their needs and dietary requirements. Care UK has won numerous awards for our dining experience and our chef-led teams.
Keeping connected is also important as we age, and good care homes recognise this by offering residents opportunities to stay involved in local life, from attending church services and continuing to take part in community clubs as well as hosting events with local charities, schools and other groups.
When visiting, why not ask if you can sit in on an activity or join a meal?
Visiting and evaluating homes
Once you’ve created a shortlist of local care homes, take the time to visit them in person to get a feel for life in the home and to meet the manager and other team members.
It’s important that you find a place where your loved one feels comfortable, so don’t be afraid to visit more than once. Bringing along a family member or friend who can help you remember all the questions you want to ask can also provide reassurance.
Find out more about booking a viewing with Care UK.
Good care home checklist
We’ve created a checklist to make choosing a care home easier. It includes helpful suggestions on what to ask and look out for when you visit any care home. You can download our choosing a care home checklist here.
Costs and transparency of pricing
The cost of care is an important factor when you’re choosing a care home. If you’re just getting started it can feel overwhelming, but it’s important that you have a full understanding.
We’ve gathered information on what affects the cost of care to help you learn more, but it’s also worth discussing costs and available support thoroughly with the care home managers of the homes you visit. Good care homes will be transparent and upfront about their fee information.
Making your decision with confidence
At Care UK, we believe that moving into a care home offers the start of a positive new chapter to life. In the safety and comfort of a care home, you can make new friends, enjoy activities and even try new hobbies.
But we know that finding the right care can feel daunting. Our team is here to support you. Why not give our Care Support team a call for free advice and support, read our help and advice articles or search for your local Care UK care home to discover the care and lifestyle they can provide.
Armed with this information about what makes a good care home, we hope you can make your decision with confidence.
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