Tips for Choosing a Care Home

Choosing a care home is a big decision that requires careful consideration. Avoid stress building by following these tips. If you have done the proper research and taken the right steps, you can ensure you have covered all bases and can confidently make the right choice between the different care homes in Devon.

Before choosing a care home for yourself or a loved one, make sure you are making the best choice. There are other options you should consider first. For example, you could look into adapting your home to make it more accessible. With well positioned rails, optimised furniture, security features and accessible walkways and doors you could create a safe enough home environment.  

Another option is getting support at your home, perhaps with a nurse or live-on care worker.

Finally, consider sheltered housing, where there is a greater degree of independence while still having extra support nearby.

Your first step should be booking a care needs assessment with your local council, then you will have a complete view of the support available.  

Care homes give individuals a chance to fully focus on their health and wellbeing, so if health is a major concern a care home will likely be the best option. They also present socialisation opportunities, alleviating loneliness.  

Not all care homes are created equal, so ensure you look at multiple options in your local area. Look into reviews and the reputations of the homes. Obviously from friends and family is best, but also look into local groups and noticeboards for referrals and advice. There are some useful resources online for researching care homes, for example CareHomeAdvisor. CareHomeAdvisor shows ratings given to care homes by the Care Quality Commission, NHS Choices, Your Care Rating, Food Standards Agency and the Health and Safety Executive.

When looking for a care home, there are certain things to look out for and things you should do to familiarise yourself properly with the options. You should definitely visit any home you consider. Try to spend a day there and talk to different members of staff – many homes will invite you to spend the day there, and you should certainly take the opportunity. Make a list of what is important for the living space, activities, shared spaces and anything else you can think of. It is easy to forget or overlook important details that you will regret not enquiring about when you had the chance to get a comprehensive answer. To avoid missing out on crucial details, make a list of questions you need to ask. This should include questions on the level of care that is provided, waiting times, processes and fees as well as questions to do with daily life there. Visitation, activities, add on and accessibility are also crucial things to ask questions about.