karen.488walker
New Member
- Location
- Sevenoaks :(
Am looking at a home tomorrow for an elderly relative. Any tips as to what I should be looking for?
What should I look for in a nursing home?
- Thread starter karen.488walker
- Start date
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purplepolly
New Member
- Location
- my house
karen.488walker said:
My mum visits a lot of people in nursing homes, she always rates the ones with daily activities very highly. Some places don't have much in that line but it's very important for there to be some sort of stimulus if people can't get out much.
purplepolly
New Member
- Location
- my house
User76 said:
I'll go one further and say staff who have accents that the future resident is used to. My gran move herself into a home near my uncle, but as her hearing got worse she found it harder to understand the local accent and became very cut off from the world.
Archie_tect
De Skieven Architek... aka Penfold + Horace
- Location
- Northumberland
Karen, Lots of thoughts in no particular order!
Hope you find a good one that your relative likes... show him/her 2 at a time and get their feedback if your relative can cope with choosing... otherwise it's a big responsibility for you to carry. The care home should be comfortable agreeing to a settling in period to see that your relative will be happy there without having to sign up to a long contract in advance.
A good care home won't get upset about queries... only the 'difficult' ones would.
Does your relative need nursing or residential care- big variation in support and cost/ week.
Ability to bring their own furniture and possessions into the room is important. Recommend own en-suite shower-room.
How mobile is he/she now and how likely is that to change in short-term and how flexible is the care home in adapting their accommodation to his/her changing needs?
Is there a choice for menus and can they cope with individual requirements or opt out to go 'outside' for days out/ meals at their own choosing with reasonable notice?
Does the care home allow free visiting from friends/ relatives? Are they flexible about pets? Can he/she be taken out of the care home by friends/ relatives whenever he/she chooses.
Is there a visiting library service?
Speak to your local Social Services and get any feed-back they have on the care homes you like best.
Is it owned by an owner operator or a chain?
Good luck!
Chris
Hope you find a good one that your relative likes... show him/her 2 at a time and get their feedback if your relative can cope with choosing... otherwise it's a big responsibility for you to carry. The care home should be comfortable agreeing to a settling in period to see that your relative will be happy there without having to sign up to a long contract in advance.
A good care home won't get upset about queries... only the 'difficult' ones would.
Does your relative need nursing or residential care- big variation in support and cost/ week.
Ability to bring their own furniture and possessions into the room is important. Recommend own en-suite shower-room.
How mobile is he/she now and how likely is that to change in short-term and how flexible is the care home in adapting their accommodation to his/her changing needs?
Is there a choice for menus and can they cope with individual requirements or opt out to go 'outside' for days out/ meals at their own choosing with reasonable notice?
Does the care home allow free visiting from friends/ relatives? Are they flexible about pets? Can he/she be taken out of the care home by friends/ relatives whenever he/she chooses.
Is there a visiting library service?
Speak to your local Social Services and get any feed-back they have on the care homes you like best.
Is it owned by an owner operator or a chain?
Good luck!
Chris
Ranger
New Member
- Location
- Fife borders
My wife is an assessor in care and maintains that the first thing to look at is the standard of decoration/maintenance of a property. Worn carpet, crap furniture and as other have said the smell of urine are all warning signs of an owner cutting corners for maximum profit.
Also ask about staff training, what the homes ethos is (actually ask one of the ordinary workers) and also ask to see a copy of their last inspection by social services or the English equivalent of the Care Commission but most importantly try to talk to some of the residents. Do they seem happy and content or slightly 'odd' it can tell you an awful lot
Also ask about staff training, what the homes ethos is (actually ask one of the ordinary workers) and also ask to see a copy of their last inspection by social services or the English equivalent of the Care Commission but most importantly try to talk to some of the residents. Do they seem happy and content or slightly 'odd' it can tell you an awful lot
OP
OP
karen.488walker
New Member
- Location
- Sevenoaks :(
Wow. You lot are always so helpful. Am going to try one with a weeks respite care I think so that she can get a feel of it. The problem is I want to move my Aunt from Middlesex to Sevenoaks for 2 reasons, 1 where she lives is a dump and when we mentioned homes in the area to the aged concern woman there she winced. 2 I want to visit her more often. This is a massive family responsibility for me, everyone else in the family has left the country!
snorri
Legendary Member
- Location
- East coast, up a bit.
Agreed with the previous postings.
It helped me greatly to have a friend along when I was checking out prospective homes recently. After the visit we compared our thoughts and this helped me make a decision. Also, it is good to have back-up if any more distant relatives question your choice of home at a later date.
It helped me greatly to have a friend along when I was checking out prospective homes recently. After the visit we compared our thoughts and this helped me make a decision. Also, it is good to have back-up if any more distant relatives question your choice of home at a later date.
You can view inspection reports online at http://www.cqc.org.uk/
Read the reports beforehand and note the recommendations for improvement. You can then make a judgement on how the care home is working towards this since their last inspection. You could also ask the owners of the care home how they are doing with it as well.
I've just looked up one of the care homes local to me and it allowed me to view the last few years reports as well.
Read the reports beforehand and note the recommendations for improvement. You can then make a judgement on how the care home is working towards this since their last inspection. You could also ask the owners of the care home how they are doing with it as well.
I've just looked up one of the care homes local to me and it allowed me to view the last few years reports as well.
Mr Pig
New Member
- Location
- North Lanarkshire
Good locks and full condom machines?
mangaman
Guest
Technically social services or the nhs shouldn't advise you on a good home as there may be a conflict of interest . I agree with what people have said about the smell and general ambiance looking right. Also about checking the inspection report for the home.
I would also ask the manager if I could speak to some residents and their relatives. This will give you the truest picture and if the home don't seem comfortable with it I would look elsewhere .
I would also ask the manager if I could speak to some residents and their relatives. This will give you the truest picture and if the home don't seem comfortable with it I would look elsewhere .
I'd have thought the appearance of the residents, and your estimation of the honesty of the staff when you ask questions.
In asking this question I'm not in any way criticising your choice, but, if I may...why? Wouldn't it be better, and not much more expensive, to hire in help for her at home? As I say, this question isn't a veiled form of criticism, but, rather, motivated by the knowledge that before long I'll be facing a similar kind of predicament.
In asking this question I'm not in any way criticising your choice, but, if I may...why? Wouldn't it be better, and not much more expensive, to hire in help for her at home? As I say, this question isn't a veiled form of criticism, but, rather, motivated by the knowledge that before long I'll be facing a similar kind of predicament.
Aperitif
Meme bar
- Location
- ...I don't have much idea - really.
Noodley said:
Good luck with your research Karen.
