Looking for and choosing a nursing or care home for a loved one during the last years of their lives can be a daunting task. It’s hard to know where to start when there is so much information readily available that it can become overwhelming. Choosing a nursing home does not have to be a daunting task if you know where (and how) to begin your search. There are many things to consider: proximity, cost, location and high-quality care. If you or a loved one is beginning a search for a care home, here are some tips that will hopefully aid you in your search of finding the right care home for you or a loved one.
A NURSING HOME IS EXACTLY THAT…A HOME
As you would with any major investment, look to see what all your options are. Think of finding a care home for your loved one like you would buying a home. Compile a list of care homes that are of interest to you and your loved one and then go and visit each to see if you could be comfortable living in each care home’s perspective location and facilities.
Because this can be an extensive process, you’ll want to make sure that you have an idea of what your ideal care home and its environment would be like. Look at its surroundings and location, is it a place that you or your loved one would be happy? One tip would be to prepare a checklist of questions or requirements that you or your loved one may have, like this one here.
LOOK AT THE EXPENSE
You’ll have to take in to account expense when searching for a care/nursing home. What can you afford? Some care homes offer different services or types of care – this can change the monthly cost to you or your loved one. A care home that offers 24/7 around the clock care would be more cost to you than an assisted living facility that didn’t provide intensive medical care.
The main piece to consider when looking at the cost of different homes, is to make sure that the services that they provide are what you or your loved one needs. Then look at the care homes that are most cost-effective to you, without sacrificing a high standard of care.
WHAT TYPE OF CARE WILL YOU OR YOUR LOVED ONE REQUIRE?
One of the most important aspects to look for in a quality care home is the type of training that the staff has. Not only is it required by law for care home staff to be trained in safeguarding, first aid, manual handling and hygiene – but if your loved one has dementia or Alzheimer’s, look for a care home whose staff is trained in this area of care.
Another way that you can look to see what type of training the staff has is to visit Care Quality Commission’s website; this provides you with details of care homes in a specific area that are regularly monitored, regulated and inspected to ensure the providence of high quality care.
CARE HOME COMMUNICATION
The saying goes, “Communication is key”. This is especially true when considering a care home for you or your loved one. What will the home’s communication with your relatives be like? What will involvement look like with your loved one and their relatives?
Another question to ask is in relation to visiting hours. Will friends and relatives have a set time for visiting hours, or will they be allowed to visit whenever they please? Here at The Hollies, we encourage participation of relatives and friends in our daily activities, it aids in helping us provide care to our residents with a personalised touch to help them to feel at home.
INVOLVE YOUR LOVED ONE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE
Lastly, and potentially the most important, involve your loved one in the decision-making process if they are up to it. Ultimately, the care home that you choose will be where they spend the last years of their lives, and it will become their home. Are they looking for a nursing home that is faith-based? Will they feel as though the care home is a good fit socially? These are all things that you would consider when moving to a new home, so it is important to allow your loved one to feel as much a part of the decision-making process when looking for a care home.
Here at The Hollies, we provide high-quality, personalised care, and ensure that our top priority is our residents’ comfort, happiness and quality of life. For more information or for any inquiries please contact The Hollies directly on 01453 541400 or info@thehollies.co.uk