Choosing the right care home or nursing home for your loved one is one of the most difficult and emotional things you might ever have to do.
That’s why it’s important that you have all the information you need and ask all the right questions, to ensure that the home you choose is the most appropriate for your loved ones needs.
Before you visit any homes, you need to know if your loved one needs residential or nursing care. Do they need a dementia specialist home?
Be careful with home descriptions because dementia friendly does not always mean staff are trained on caring for people with dementia, it can mean that they are happy to care for residents with mild memory problems.
You also need to know if your loved one is eligible for any financial support from the local authority or if they will be a self-funder.
Some people with higher needs may also be eligible for full funding from the NHS (see our blog about Continuing Healthcare).
Once you know the answers to the above questions, make yourself a shortlist of homes to view that are within your budget.
What to Ask During Your Care Home Visit:
1. What’s included in the fee?
One of the first things you’ll want to know when visiting a care home is how much it costs to stay there, and what’s included in the fee.
A good care home should provide transparent and structured pricing, highlighting precisely how and when the money is collected.
You should also ask if a deposit is required and if the fees are reviewed on a yearly basis, and if so when are they reviewed each year, and what % increase is usual. You could ask what was the % increase each year for the past three years as this will give you an idea of how much it might cost after the next price increase.
2. What costs extra?
Every care home provider is different. Some will include various extras in the overall price, while others will charge for additional items or services.
It’s a good idea to clear this up on your visit. Will toiletries, hairdressing, newspapers, etc. add to your overall bill each month? If so, by how much?
3. What does my loved one get in their room?
You’ll be shown a room on your tour, but make sure you don’t take what’s in it at face value.
Request a list of what’s included in the room as standard, and ask the following:
• Do you provide bedding? How often is it changed?
• Is there a television in the room? Or a radio?
• Is there a telephone in the room?
• Is there storage space?
• Can residents bring their own furniture from home?
• Is there somewhere for visitors to sit?
4. Is there internet access?
Most care homes now provide internet access as standard. However, some only offer Wi-Fi in communal areas, while others make sure it’s available across the entire facility.
If your loved one likes to Facetime family members or enjoys keeping up with friends on social media, it’s a good idea to check where and how they can do this in the care home.
5. How are meals prepared? What about snacks? Tea or coffee?
Your loved one’s diet is tied to their well-being, so learning more about how the care home prepares meals will give you peace of mind that they’re being well looked after.
Is there a chef on-site? Are the residents able to choose from a set menu? Are they provided with snacks throughout the day? And what about drinks, like juice, tea, or coffee?
Ask to see a menu or speak with the kitchen staff to get a better idea of their process and the quality of food on offer.
6. What activities do you offer?
Care homes must provide daily activities for their residents. It’s a regulatory requirement. You should, therefore, seek to understand the range and quality of these activities.
Does the home have an activity coordinator? Can you meet with them? Can you observe an activity?
Does your loved one have a hobby or activity they enjoy, can the home help them to continue with this activity?
Music is hugely beneficial for people living with dementia. Does the home have calming background music in the communal areas? Do they have regular musical activities? Do they have visiting musicians/singers that come to entertain?
Are family invited to join in with activities if they wish to do so?
7. How often do residents get outside?
While most activities are likely to take place indoors, some care homes will also offer their residents the opportunity to get outside and enjoy some fresh air.
Does the care home have a nice garden? Can residents access the garden independently or do they need to be escorted? How often are they escorted to the garden?
Ask if the home provides day trips and, if so, how frequent they are. Do these trips cost extra? Are food and drink provided? And what’s the ratio of staff to residents on these trips? What kind of trips are available – ask for some examples of recent trips.
8. When can I visit?
Visits from family members can be vital to the mental health and happiness of residents.
You should, therefore, ask when you can visit and for how long. Most good care homes will allow visitors at any time of the day, within reason. Try not to arrive/depart at mealtimes as staff will busy making sure everyone has received their meal on time.
Be wary of anywhere with fixed opening hours or that request you call ahead before visiting.
9. What’s the staff-to-resident ratio?
This is a crucial question to ask, and one that’s often overlooked.
If the staff are rushing from room to room, there’s a chance that your loved one won’t get the quality of care and attention they require. And if the staff appear stressed, they may leave before building meaningful relationships with the residents.
To better understand the situation, ask for the care home’s staff retention rate and a copy of their most recent CQC (Care Quality Commission) report. You can view CQC reports for all care homes on the CQC website here. https://www.cqc.org.uk/care-services
10. How will you manage and administer their medication? What happens if they become unwell?
If your loved one needs certain medication at specific points during the day, you’ll want reassurance that this will be taken care of.
Ask how medicine is tracked and administered. How will changes in medication be handled? And what happens if your loved one falls ill? Is there a nurse on site or a doctor-on-call?
11. What’s your policy on pets?
Pets play a huge part in many people’s lives and leaving them behind to move into a care home can be incredibly emotional.
Some care homes allow residents to keep pets in their room. Some have strict no-pet policies. And others will allow visits from pets during pre-determined visiting hours or with advanced notice. Ask for clarification on this during your visit if this is important to your loved one.
12. What is the notice period?
You can do your homework on a care home, ask all the right questions, and be rigorous in your own personal inspection — but even then, that might not be enough. If your loved one is unhappy, you may want to move them to another facility, or bring them home.
During your visit, ask if there’s a notice period for leaving and, if so, what the associated charges are. This is helpful because, if you find yourself faced with this situation, you’ll be well-prepared to deal with it both logistically and financially.
13. Are staff trained to care for people with memory loss or dementia
During your visit, ask if staff are trained to care for people with memory loss or dementia, if so, what training do staff have, and are all staff trained? It is not just the carers that need to understand the needs of someone with dementia, everyone that your loved one comes in to contact with needs to have a good knowledge of dementia.
Be honest about the needs of your loved one with dementia, do they need help with personal care, getting dressed, cleaning their teeth, shaving and continence care. Do they need prompting/help to go to the toilet and if so, how often will they be prompted/assisted to use the toilet?
Does your loved one wander? How does the home feel about this and how do they manage this?
Does your loved present with challenging behaviours or agitation? How does the home feel about this and how do they manage this?
Does your loved get up multiple times during the night? How will the home manage this?
14. What will happen if my loved one’s needs change?
Ask the home, what happens if my loved one’s needs change? Will they need to move to a different home or does the home have different areas that cater for different needs depending on the stage of dementia?
It’s important that the home understands the level of your loved one’s needs before agreeing for them to move in, otherwise, they could evict your loved one soon after them moving in or if their needs change in the future.
A Few Questions to Ask Yourself
As you tour a care home, it’s useful to keep a few things front of mind:
1. What are my first impressions of the facility?
Listen to your instinct as you enter the care home. Ask yourself:
• Was I greeted in a friendly manner?
• Is the atmosphere warm and welcoming?
• Is the facility clean? Are there any unpleasant odours?
• Are there enough communal toilets within reach? Are they well signposted?
• Is it well-decorated and furnished?
• Are there enough parking spaces for visitors?
2. Do the staff look happy?
If you’re looking for an insight into the level of care on offer, it’s helpful to observe the demeanour of the staff in and around the facility.
• Do they appear happy?
• Do they smile at the residents?
• Are they polite?
• Are they engaging residents in conversation?
• Do they listen?
• How are they interacting with residents and visitors?
It might seem like a small detail, but smiles are contagious! If the staff look happy, chances are they’re making the residents happy too.
3. Do the residents look happy?
Lastly, as you tour a prospective care home, take time to observe the residents.
• Do they appear happy, alert, and responsive?
• Are they smiling? Laughing?
• Are they properly dressed and well-groomed?
• Are they getting involved in activities, or chatting with one another?
• Are they encouraged to be independent? To move around freely? And for those unable to do so, are they able to access a member of staff easily and quickly?
Gauging the mood of the room you’re in can be a small indicator of whether the residents are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.
At the end of the day, the building isn’t important; it’s the people inside.
We encourage you to visit as many homes as you can and ask as many questions as possible. All that truly matters is that it feels right and that your loved one is happy and cared for. Follow your heart.
If you would like support or guidance to find the right home for your loved, call our helpline on 0344 324 6589.