Choosing the right care home for you
Your care home should be a happy and comfortable place to live – in short, it should feel like home. Thinking about what you want and need from a care home is a good place to start.
What should I look for in a care home?
When you find a care home that seems suitable, you can visit it more than once. Find out as much as you can about a care home to help you to make an informed choice.
Before visiting a home, take these key steps:
- Make sure the home provides the level of care you need or could need in the future.
- Check if the home currently has any vacancies. If it doesn’t, find out how long the waiting list is.
- Read the home’s brochure or website before your visit, and call or email the home to speak to the staff or manager.
- Read the most recent inspection report for the home. You can ask the home for it, or look for it on the CQC website.
What questions should I ask when I’m looking around?
Here are suggestions for a number of things that you might want to find out. Don’t feel you have to ask everything; think about what is most important or relevant to you. Download and print our care home checklist, which includes all of these questions, below.
- Are the buildings and grounds well maintained?
- Is there an accessible garden or courtyard?
- Do the home and garden feel inviting?
- Are there pleasant views surrounding the home?
- Do the staff seem welcoming?
- Is the home clean and does it smell fresh?
- Are the rooms a comfortable temperature?
- Are the rooms well decorated?
- Are friends and family able to get there easily?
- Are there enough parking spaces at the home?
- Are facilities such as shops, parks and places of worship within easy reach and accessible?
- Is there good wheelchair access into and within the building, including wide doorways?
- Are staff welcoming and interested?
- Do the staff get to know about residents’ lives and experiences?
- Is there a manager in post and a senior member of staff on duty at all times?
- Is there a suitable ratio of staff to residents during the day, at night and at weekends?
- Can residents choose if they have a male or female carer?
- How are staff trained, how often and by whom?
- Are all staff trained in caring for residents with dementia?
- Do the staff have care qualifications?
- Is there a high staff turnover? (If so, this could be a sign of low staff morale)
- What is the coronavirus and flu vaccination rate amongst staff?
- Does the home assess new residents’ situations and needs before agreeing to accept them?
- Do residents have a named member of staff who is particularly responsible for their care?
- Are residents and their families involved in decisions about their care?
- Do residents seem to have a similar level of needs as you?
- If your needs change or increase, can they still be met in the same home?
- Do the bathroom facilities meet your needs?
- Are accessible toilets available in all parts of the home and easy to get to?
- Are residents helped to the toilet, if needed?
- Do toilets have handrails, raised toilet seats and mobility aids?
- Is there a policy on when incontinence pads and catheters are used?
- Does the home link with a specific GP practice for residents?
- Do health staff such as opticians and chiropodists visit regularly?
- Who decides when a health check-up is needed?
- Are there travel arrangements for regular hospital and clinic visits and do staff accompany residents, and is there a charge for this?
- How does the home support those with sensory impairments or dementia?
- How does the home let family or friends know if a resident is taken ill?
- Can the home offer support for end-of-life care?
- What security arrangements are in place to make sure residents are safe?
- Is there a resident’s call-bell system?
- Does the home use signs or pictures to show where things are?
- Can residents choose their routine, such as when they get up and go to bed?
- Can residents choose what they wear?
- Can staff ensure that clothes don’t get mixed up between residents?
- Can residents bring their own furniture and belongings?
- Is there secure storage in the bedrooms?
- Are there arrangements for handling personal money?
- Would you have to share a bathroom or bedroom?
- Can residents choose whether they have a bath or shower and how often?
- Is there a mix of female and male residents?
- Do residents usually eat together, or can they choose to eat in their rooms?
- Is there a choice of food and can you see sample menus?
- How often does the menu change?
- Are snacks available during the day or at night?
- Is food prepared on the premises?
- Can the home meet your dietary needs?
- Can residents and visitors make their own drinks?
- Can residents store food in their room?
- Are residents encouraged to stay active and do as much as they can for themselves?
- Is there an activities co-ordinator?
- Do residents seem happy and occupied?
- Are there lounges or social areas with furniture arranged to allow small groups to socialise?
- Are staff sitting and chatting with the residents?
- Would you feel comfortable socialising in the home’s common areas?
- Do staff read to those with sight impairment?
- Does the home have its own pets, or can residents bring their own pets?
- Are there facilities such as: a radio, reading room, TV room, newspapers, books or a mobile library, public phone, shared computers, internet reception and hairdressing services?
- Are there regular social activities such as: music or singing, reminiscence groups, exercise classes, gardening, celebrations for special occasions and visits from entertainers, and outings to shops, entertainment venues or places of worship?
- Are there any restrictions on visiting times or numbers of visitors?
- Are there facilities for visitors to stay overnight?
- Are young children welcome?
- Is there a space for residents to spend time with visitors?
- Are visitors able to visit during meal times and can they have meals with residents?
- Can you see a copy of the home’s contract and terms and conditions?
- Can you stay for a trial period?
- What happens if you’re unhappy with the home once they move in?
- Are valuables covered by the home’s insurance?
- What are the terms for keeping the room if you have to go into hospital?
- Are notice conditions to terminate the contract reasonable?
- What are the home’s fees?
- Is it clear how the fees are structured, calculated and collected?
- Is a deposit or advance payment required?
- Are fees reviewed each year?
- If it’s a nursing home, how are NHS-funded nursing care payments accounted for in the fee structure?
- Are extra items or services not covered by the basic fees clearly identified and accounted for?
- Are any fees payable after a resident’s death?
- Are you encouraged to give feedback?
- Is the complaints procedure readily available?
- Are families encouraged to be involved in the life of the home?
- Is the manager accessible and approachable?
- Can staff explain the procedures if there are serious incidents, complaints or safeguarding concerns raised?