What to Consider When Choosing a Care Home
When it comes to finding a suitable care home for either yourself or a loved one, it’s important that you find a care home that’s the right fit. There are lots of different things to consider before choosing the right care home.
Choosing a care home and making the transition into one is a big decision for anyone, and certainly not one to be taken lightly. That’s why we’ve put together a care home checklist designed to help you figure out the type of care you may need, what you should look out for when visiting care homes and the type of questions to ask.
Moving Into a Care Home Checklist
There are many things to consider when choosing a residential care home or nursing home, either for yourself or for a loved one. The local care homes you visit will differ from one another, and it’ll be up to you to decide what you’re willing to compromise on to get the most out of your care experience. It’s important to consider the following when deciding on the right choice of care home:
The Location & General Accessibility
A key thing to keep in mind when visiting a care home is how easy the location is to get to, and how comfortable you feel moving around the place. You’ve got to remember who the potential resident is, and what their mobility is like. Most purpose-built care homes are easily accessible for those with walking frames and wheelchairs. Ramps, lifts, support rails, raised toilet seats and wide corridors are evident throughout care homes and it’s important to note that assistance with mobility will always be available at a care home.
Is the location easy for the resident’s friends and loved ones to get to? Keeping social is really important as we age, so ensuring a resident can see the people they care about as often as possible should definitely be something worth factoring into the equation. Lastly, you’ll need to consider where the resident feels happiest; are they happier in the countryside or close to a bustling city? This could be a deciding factor.
The Lifestyle & Social Activities Available
Many nursing homes and residential care homes across the UK offer a varied lifestyle, where no two days are the same, courtesy of an activities team that organises an array of engaging activities within a weekly programme. The active social life that comes with group living is one that older people tend to really benefit from. The in-house facilities that a care home offers range in each care establishment, including whether the facilities are all-inclusive.
Some care homes offer hair and beauty salon treatments and a jam-packed activities programme; these can either be included in the weekly fee or charged on top of the care home cost. Family members are often invited to join in with the activities and events on offer, highlighting how important it is to spend time with family. Residents are always at the centre of any decision-making to ensure the social activities and amenities available meet their physical, mental and emotional well-being while staff accompany residents.
The Type of Care Home and Care Provided
Residential Care
As the name suggests, residential care allows residents to live in a home-from-home setting, taking advantage of all of the services and amenities available which enables them to live a fulfilling lifestyle. Residential care helps individuals with all aspects of personal care as well as daily tasks such as general mobility issues or medication administration. Residents in care homes can relax each day and not have to worry about administrative tasks, cooking, cleaning or washing as all of that is taken care of by the care home staff.
Nursing Care
Nursing care is suited for individuals who need around-the-clock access to medical care as well as continuous support with their personal care needs. Registered nurses and care staff in care homes provide compassionate nursing care for people with long-term health problems, severe physical disabilities, learning difficulties and critical illnesses. The level of specialist care and support someone may require will differ from person to person, that’s why care needs assessment will always be undertaken by a qualified nurse.
Dementia Care
Dementia affects many people in a number of ways, it commonly impacts a person's memory, communication, behaviour and emotions. With the proper care and support, people with dementia can continue to live their lives to the fullest with a range of suitable activities with support from staff. Care homes offering dementia care will have staff who have been extensively trained to deal with varying levels and types of dementia. Many care homes offer a trial period where prospective residents can stay for four weeks to see if it meets their needs and is a suitable care home.
Respite Care
Respite care is a short-term care option that provides a reprieve from daily hardships. Whether someone has fallen, is recovering from an illness, or the primary caregiver needs a well-deserved rest, the care home teams are available to help ease pressure or stress. Whether someone stays at a nursing home for a few weeks or months, every person receives the best person-centred care. Like with all care types, a care plan will be created for each temporary stay resident by a team of health professionals following a needs assessment.
The Care Costs & Available Funding
When it comes to care home fees, this is something that will vary depending on the individual, their circumstances, and the amenities that the care home provides. For example, if a care home provides all-inclusive facilities such as fine dining, a cinema room, library and beauty salon, a price increase might be expected.
If someone pays for their own care costs, they are considered a self-funder. In certain situations where people cannot afford to pay the care home costs, local authority funding can be granted to help decrease the overall price of staying in a care home after a financial assessment has taken place. We recommend getting in touch with the social services who work for your local council to see if you or your loved one is eligible for any financial help as the first step. Some local councils may ask you to provide a top up fee for the cost of care. This is when the care home chosen costs more than the person's individual budget. The top up fee can be provided by the individual seeking care or a family member.
The Care Inspectorate & Inspection Report
All care homes are inspected by either the Care Inspectorate for Scottish and Welsh care homes or the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for English care homes. These are the two governing bodies that asses all care homes in the UK, and make sure that they all meet the high standards that everyone expects.
In the inspection reports, they detail everything both good and the areas that need improvement, allowing potential residents and their family and friends to read up on the most recent inspection report of the care home they’re interested in.
Make Manor Grange Your New Home
Manor Grange is an all-inclusive, modern care home positioned in the heart of Aberdeen offering Residential, Nursing, Dementia and Respite care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Our team at Manor Grange is dedicated to giving residents comprehensive and compassionate care, including a stimulating environment in which everyone can thrive, the chance to make new friends, and a wealth of special memories to cherish.
With the aid of our extensive selection of facilities, such as our therapeutic gardens for fresh air and exercise or our TV room for residents to relax and unwind, our facilities are within easy access from one another and provide residents with countless opportunities to enjoy regular social activities. Our residents are able to lead a happy and independent life regardless of their physical or mental conditions or abilities. Our entire staff is committed to supporting everyone in their goals and making sure that everyone who lives with us has everything they require to be content and looked after.
Get In Touch With Manor Grange
First impressions are everything, so come and visit our care home and our care home's manager will be happy to show you and your loved one around. Send an email to info@manorgrangecare.co.uk or call 0131 334 6462 to discover more about our care services and how we could be the right care home for you or your family member. You also have the option to fill out our online Enquiry Form. We look forward to speaking with you.
