01684 290666 [email protected]

Choosing The Right Care Home

Choosing A Care Home

Moving into a care home is a big step to take for anyone. Very often it is close relatives taking the decision when a parent requires regular or continual care. At Cedar Trust we recognise that this is often a very stressful time for a family, and a process that can engender many different emotions; guilt, relief, sadness, happiness, doubt and even anger. In order to help you make the right choice for your situation we have provided some information, which we hope will be of help to you.

What Type Of Care Home Should You Choose?

Different levels of care are offered by different homes. A home may offer solely residential care or nursing care, or in many cases be dual registered to provide both types of care. Other homes may offer specialist dementia care as part of their service. It is important that you understand what type of care would best suit your individual situation, as nobody’s care needs are exactly the same; everyone is individual.

Residential care offers personal support on a 24-hour basis and endeavours to maintain the independence of the resident, whilst giving daily assistance with tasks such as washing, dressing, mealtimes and housekeeping. If medical assistance is required this is often supplied by regular visits to homes by GPs and district nurses. Many residential homes will also offer support for residents with varying levels of dementia provided their condition is not disruptive to the home or other residents.

Nursing care offers 24-hour support for those with specialist nursing needs. Homes offering nursing care will have registered nursing staff on duty 24 hours a day to provide a high level of professional medical assistance. This type of care may well be appropriate if you or your loved one has an illness or disability that requires complicated or regular nursing support.

Dual registered homes are able to offer both nursing and residential care, depending on an individual’s developing needs.

What Is Life Like Inside A Care Home?

Care homes provide residents with 24-hour support, offering different types and levels of care depending on the needs of the individual. Residents will have their own bedrooms, and either their own or shared bathroom facilities. There are usually large communal areas such as lounges, dining rooms, and in some homes other quiet areas, where residents can go to read or simply sit peacefully. Some homes have extensive gardens for residents to enjoy.

When someone comes to live in a Cedar Trust home we like to make them feel part of a family. This means getting to know them well, and finding out about their likes and dislikes, so we can cater our care to their individual needs. We want residents to feel totally comfortable with their new surroundings so we encourage them to bring personal possessions for their room. These may be pictures, photographs or even a favourite chair. It is often bringing simple memories that help people settle quickly into a new place.

Social activities play an important part in any home. Our aim is for all our residents to lead as active and fulfilling a life as possible, and part of that is maintaining interests and hobbies they may have had before they joined us. Keeping up familiar activities is also a good way to stay active and socialize with other residents.

Good quality food is also something that all care homes should provide. Food needs to be nutritionally balanced, with different choices across the days of the week and the seasons of the year. We can also cater for any special dietary requirements or allergies.

How Do I Choose Which Home Is Right For Us?

Choosing the right care home is difficult, but ultimately depends on what matters to you. Your personal priorities need to be talked through and examined in detail before you make up your mind.

Always visit a number of homes before making a decision. There is only so much that can be gleaned from a website or telephone call. We would recommend that you call unannounced, that way you see a home as it really is. Try and see the manager of a home, it is he or she that will be leading the team of people who will be caring for you or a loved one. Ask questions of staff and other residents and relatives; personal insights are always helpful.

Many homes will offer a trial stay, or a period of respite as a good way of finding out whether the home is right for you.

Whichever home you choose for yourself or a relation, make sure you have asked all the questions you want to before making a commitment. At Cedar Trust we believe we offer warm and welcoming homes, and we hope that we can help you come to the right decision for you.

Share