The Care Handbook
A Family Guide
It can sometimes be an emotional and confusing time when considering care homes. In
addition, the number of residential and nursing care homes to choose from within the UK
is considerable.
Ultimately, of course, the most important question is – which is the right one for you and
or your family? It is therefore very helpful when you have the right information to
understand the choices and options available.
To help with the selection process, we've put together a short family guide. This guide is
not an exhaustive checklist, but serves rather as a helpful overview for the key points to
consider when considering care homes as the next step.
We also highly recommend that our families follow the three selection process steps
below. These simple three steps can help you identify the type and level of care that is
appropriate and, also discover the right look, feel and quality home that you are happy
for you or your relative to live in.
The Three Key Selection Process Steps
1. Do your Research
Undertake the right amount of research so that you can feel assured and comfortable in
your decision-making
2. Understand the Financial Implications
Review the costs and options open for funding and financing life in a care home
3. Visit and Compare Care Homes
Visit a selection of care homes to enable you to compare and truly feel what is right for
you
A Family Guide
1. Obtain an assessment from medical professionals or social services
Whether you are self-funded or not, it is always worth involving social services as the
assessment and information they can provide is likely to be very helpful in making a very
important decision – where to live.
2. Identify the best possible location for you and your family
Some people are anxious for a loved one to live very close by, to better facilitate regular
visits. Is the care home easily accessible by road and train? Are there shops and other
facilities nearby?
3. Meeting cultural, social, religious and ethnic needs
Another key element when making a selection is finding not only the right community of
people that you will comfortable living with on a day-to-day basis, but also one that can
accommodate your dietary requirements or ethnic and religious beliefs.
4. Focus on the level of personal care
This is arguably the critical issue – what are your expectations regarding the level of
personal care? To what degree is the care truly person-centred? What is the ratio of carer:
resident that you are comfortable with? Does the care home create bespoke lifestyle
arrangements, or are residents expected to adapt to a general routine?
5. Keeping active and involved
How active a lifestyle would you like to pursue? What facilities, programmes and event
calendars are in place? Are residents expected to follow and participate in everything or
to what degree can they create their own individual activity programme with like-minded
people?
6. Level of independence
What is the care philosophy, both in theory and in practice? How does the care home
maximise independence for residents? What evidence is there that people are being fully
supported to lead an independent life as possible? Can residents come and go as they
please? How accommodating is the care home regarding residents making personal
arrangements for trips, events and family activities?
7. Excellent communications
What is the type and level of communication between staff, staff and residents, staff and
families and staff and the community? How do people interact: is it always an open door
policy, with multiple avenues of communication open? How flexible is the care home
when it comes to accommodating your communication preferences?
8. Inspection reports
What is the CQC report rating of the care home that you are interested in? What aspects
of the inspection report are you particularly interested in? What are the good clues/signs
of well-run care home or one that has very high standards that you need to look for
when visiting a care home?