Choosing a care home or service
If you or a relative are thinking about moving to live in a care home it is important to find the right one for you. The links below will give you some more ideas about what to look for but here are some straightforward suggestions that might help:
Ask around
- Talk to your family and friends;
- Ask your doctor, district nurse, community nurse or social worker.
- Read the Care Quality Commission Inspection reports for the homes you are interested in.
- Visit the home
Think about what questions you’d like to ask or what is important to you
- Is it close enough for family and friends to visit regularly
- Are there shops nearby that you could get to
- Does the home feel warm and friendly
- What sort of activities are going on
- Would you feel comfortable there?
- Is there a residents' committee
- Ask for the home's statement of purpose – is it right for you?
Talk to other people living at the home and their visitors
- Are they happy at the home
- Are they well cared for?
- Are there activities that they enjoy doing provided?
Talk to the staff
- Are they friendly and approachable or do they always seem too busy to talk?
- Are they interested in you – do they want to know what your interests and hobbies are?
Planning for the move
- Has someone from the home spent time with you to find out exactly what help you need
- Have they talked to about what other things are important to you e.g. what you like to do; your family
- Are you able to take furniture and objects you like to have around you
- Have they prepared a care plan with you which includes all the above
Choosing a care home
- This very useful checklist from BUPA (.pdf format) is to help potential residents and their families when they’re looking for a care home. It will help you compare different homes and gives suggestions on what to look for and ask about.
- This page from Counsel and Care aims to help you make an informed decision about the care home you would like to live in.
- Care homes - finding and paying for a care home - Help the Aged (.pdf format)
Choosing a care service
If you, a relative or friend, needs care or support at home it is important to find the right care service for you.
Most care in the home is provided by care services or agencies that are registered and inspected by the Care Quality Commission. Find the latest report for the care agency you are interested in.
The links below will give you some more ideas about what to look for but here are some straightforward suggestions that might help:
- Ask around:
- Talk to your family and friends;
- Ask your doctor, district nurse, community nurse or social worker.
- Read the Care Quality Commission reports for the homes you are interested in
The managers of the service should meet with you to talk about what your needs are and how they can help. Before you meet with them think about what questions you’d like to ask or what is important to you
- Are they friendly and approachable or do they always seem too busy to talk?
- Are they interested in you – do they want to know what your interests and hobbies are?
- Do they understand what you need?
- Is the service able to fit in with how you live your life?
- What training have care staff had
- Have all carers had a criminal record check
- Are you able to meet your carers before they start working with you
- Are they friendly and approachable; do you feel comfortable with them
This page on the Care Quality Commission takes you through the process of finding and choosing the right social care for you. It will give you the information you need so you can find and talk to the right people. It will also help you and your family ask the right questions and tell you what you need to think about before making any decisions.
