Your care home should be a comfortable and happy place to live, it should feel like home.

You should be thinking about what you want and need from your care home.

What Should I Look For In A Care Home?

Before finally settling on a care home make sure you have visited a few times to ensure you are happy with the feel and comfort of the home.

Make sure you have researched the home before visiting, the below steps should be considered before visiting any care home:

1. Make sure the home provides the level of care you or your loved one require or might need in the future.
2. Find out if the home currently has any vacancies and if not how long is the waiting list.
3. Visit the home's website before you visit and arrange to speak to a member of staff or the home manager.
4. Make sure you have read the recent inspection report, the home will have a copy or visit the CQC website to have a look.

When you have decided to visit a care home, make sure you have your questions ready to ask, here is a list of questions that can help you choose the right home for your needs.

1. What is included in the fees?

A good care home should provide transparent and clear pricing. When they need to be paid, is a deposit needed and what is included in the fees.

2. What cost extra?

Even though every care home provider is different, some will include extras in the overall price, some will charge for additional items or services.

3. What does my loved one get in their rooms?

When you arrive for your visit, you will be shown a room, do not take this at face value.

Ask the questions:

*Do you provide bedding and how often does it get changed?

*Is there a TV in the room or a radio?

*Is there a telephone in the room?

*How much storage space is there, and can residents bring their own furniture?

*Is there a place for visitors to sit and spend time with their loved ones?

*Is there internet access?

4. How are meals prepared?

Your loved ones diet is important for their wellbeing, so knowing how the home prepares its meals will give you piece of mind they are being looked after.

5. What activities does the home offer?

Care homes must provide activities for the residents to do. Does the home have an activities coordinator and can you meet them? Are there any going on at the moment and can you observe?

And if you are visiting and an activity is going on, can you join in?

6. What is the staff to resident ratio?

This is such an important question and one that is often overlooked.

If the staff are running from room to room, there is a chance your loved one is not getting the attention they might need.

Ask to look at the current staff retention rate and copy of the latest CQC inspection report.

These are just a few questions to ask on your initial visit, you can find a lot more across the internet.

Now here are a few questions to ask yourself as you are walking around.

1. What are your first impressions?
2. Do the staff look happy?
3. Do the residents look happy?

At the end it is not the bricks and mortar that matter but the atmosphere and people inside the home.

If you have any questions, please call us on one of the numbers below and we will be happy to answer them and arrange a visit to one of our homes.

Bank Close House: 01246 208833

Goole Hall: 01405 760099

Rotherwood: 01709 820025

Morton Manor: 01427 612796

Charnley House: 0161 3684664

or email info@devonshirecare.co.uk