Deciding which care home to go into

Choosing a care home is important as it may become your home. Only you can decide which home you’ll like.

You should find out as much as possible about a care home as this will help you make the right choice of care home for you. You may wish to think about some of the following questions when you are deciding which care home you like.

Location and building

• Where is the home?

• Will visitors be able to get there easily?

• Are there transport links nearby?

• Are facilities such as shops‚ pubs‚ parks and places of worship within easy reach?

• Will it be easy for you to enter and leave the building‚ and move between rooms and floors?

• Can residents have personal possessions in their rooms such as pictures, plants and furniture?

Day-to-day life

• Are there any restrictions on visiting times or numbers of visitors?

• Where can you spend time with your visitors?

• Is the home right for your cultural and religious needs?

• Can the home meet your dietary needs?

• Is there a choice of food‚ and when and where it can be eaten?

Your care needs

• Is the home registered to provide the level of care you need?

• Do the other residents seem to have a similar level of need to you?

• What will happen if your needs change or increase?

• Can you choose how often you have a bath or shower?

• Are toilets available in all parts of the home?

• How many staff are employed per resident?

• How are they trained?

• Is there a manager on duty at all times?

Contracts and fees

• Can you see a copy of the home’s brochure?

• Can you see copies of recent inspection reports?