How to Choose the Right Care Home for Your Loved One

Choosing a care home for someone you love is an extremely difficult decision. You may feel as though you are losing control over their well-being by entrusting their care to someone else. However, this transition means they will be cared for by qualified professionals, and you can return to being a full-time family member.

But choosing a care home is a difficult process. You must ensure that the care that your loved one requires will be provided at the home, alongside any facilities that may match their needs.

However, there are a few simple things you can do when researching different care homes that will ensure it is the best fit for your loved one.

Before You Visit

Before you enquire or visit a care home, you must evaluate their current care needs. For some, considering a care home has been directly influenced by an event or decline in health. For others, a gradual decline that now requires too much support has led to this decision.

Before you start contacting care homes, make a list of the support your relative currently requires. This will ensure you are only considering care homes that can meet all of their needs. Their requirements may range from:

• Medication support.
• Mobility assistance.
• Nursing care.
• Temporary respite care.
• Dementia care.
• Assistance with personal, daily tasks.

It’s also worth thinking about future needs. Consider how these current health requirements may develop and how that will affect the care that is required. If their health is likely to change over the coming years, choosing a home that can adapt with them could prevent another move later on.

You should also look beyond medical requirements. The person moving into care will undoubtedly have lifestyle preferences. Daily routines, hobbies and personal preferences matter just as much as medical care. Feeling comfortable in their surroundings can make settling into a new home much easier. Doing so will help them to maintain their independence and keep a sense of normalcy from their previous life.

Consider whether your loved one will require:

• A quiet or sociable environment.
• Regular, scheduled activities.
• Outdoor spaces.
• A pet-friendly environment.
• Religious or cultural preferences.

To ensure that the care home is suited for your loved one, it must match both their medical and lifestyle requirements.

How To Research a Care Home

Research before arranging visits can save you time and help you narrow down your options. It will assist you in ensuring a care home is reliable and professional.

Check the CQC rating.
Every care home will have a Care Quality Commission (CQC) rating that can be found on their official website. The CQC will present an overall rating for the care home, a recent inspection, and ratings for specific categories. This gives you an independent overview of how well the home performs in areas such as safety, effectiveness, responsiveness and leadership.

Read reviews from residents and family members.
Reading reviews is one of the best ways to understand what a care home is truly like. Reviews can give you valuable insight into everyday life at the home. While every experience is different, recurring themes often provide a good indication of what families appreciate — or where concerns have been raised. Websites such as carehome.co.uk or Google reviews are a great place to start.

Browse the care home’s website.
A care home’s website should show a realistic picture of daily life in their care. Look for photos, latest news and social media pages. A regularly updated website often provides a better picture of day-to-day life than marketing brochures alone. This will give you a clear idea of the activities and community involvement of the care home.

Consider the location.
It may seem obvious, but the location of the care home will make a big difference to both your and your loved one’s experience. Think about how often friends and family will be able to visit. A home that’s easy to reach can make regular visits much easier and help residents stay connected. You may also want the home to be close to the beach or a park if this is something that the person moving into care values on a regular basis.

What to Consider During a Care Home Visit

A brochure can only tell you so much. Visiting in person allows you to experience the atmosphere and decide whether it feels like somewhere your relative could happily call home. When visiting a home, there are a few, maybe obvious, things that you should pay close attention to.

Atmosphere.
Notice how residents interact with one another and with staff. If they appear happy and engaged, it’s a great sign. Staff and residents should be interacting naturally, and the overall atmosphere of the home should be calm and cheerful.

Cleanliness.
Upholding a sanitary care home is essential. When touring, make sure you observe the cleanliness of every room. A home should feel fresh, comfortable and lived in, not clinical.

Activities.
During your visit, enquire about the activity schedule of the home. Communal spaces, an activity timetable, and photos are great indicators of a full lifestyle.

Food.
If possible, visit during lunch. Mealtimes often give you one of the best insights into daily life, the quality of the food, and how staff supports residents. Ask to see any food menus to help you gauge the standards of meals. If your loved one has dietary requirements, this is especially important.

What Questions Should You Ask?

If you are worried about asking the correct questions during your care home visit, have a look at this list:

About staff

• What training do staff receive?
• How long have team members worked here?
• Is there continuity of carers?

About daily life

• What does a typical day look like?
• Can residents choose when they wake up?
• Are activities optional?
• Can family join events?

About healthcare

• Who manages medication?
• How are GP appointments arranged?
• What specialist services visit?

About communication

• How are families updated?
• Is there a named contact?
• How are concerns handled?

About practical matters

• What’s included in the fees?
• Are there additional charges?
• What notice period applies?
• Are trial or respite stays available?

Common Mistakes and How To Avoid Them

When emotions are running high, it’s easy to focus on availability or first impressions. Especially when visiting multiple care homes, it can be difficult to decide which is actually the best.

To ensure the care home is suited to your loved one, visit more than once. Many people make a decision off one visit, but touring on different days of the week, at a different time, will help to give you a more well-rounded impression of the home.

When visiting, do not just speak to management if possible. Chat with care staff, other family members who are also visiting, and even residents where appropriate. This will help you to gain a multitude of perspectives that will show the true atmosphere of the care home.

Depending on your situation, you may be rushed to make a decision. However, try to compare several homes before making a decision. This will give you a better understanding of general standards and show you what homes provide exceptional care.

Questions To Ask Yourself

Following a visit to a care home, you may still be unsure of whether that home was the one. To help you decide, ask yourself these questions:

• Did it feel welcoming?
• Could I imagine living here?
• Were staff kind and approachable?
• Did residents seem genuinely happy?
• Were my questions answered openly?
• Did I feel confident leaving my loved one in their care?

Facts and inspection reports are important, but so is how the home made you feel. If the atmosphere felt warm, staff answered your questions openly and you could picture your relative living there comfortably, those impressions matter too.