Second Component: Residential Care Home
When the flat becomes too much for the tenant(s) they can move into the care home component provided there is a vacancy. They will receive residential care (see residential care homes page 41) but not nursing care except in an emergency.
Third Component: Nursing Home
If nursing care is needed for any of the tenants or care home residents, nursing staff from the nursing home
component will assess the situation. They will take the appropriate action which may entail moving the patient into the nursing wing or sending them by ambulance to the nearest accident and emergency unit.
Brochures With Instant Appeal
- Note down what you like about them.
- Do the listed facilities meet your relative’s requirements?
- Look for appropriate homes in the right area.
- Shortlist the homes that appear to be most suitable.
- Phone for an appointment to view. Ask for directions if necessary.
- Note how the phone is answered. Is the person who answered interested, helpful and polite? Their manner might be indicative of the general attitude of the staff.
Avoiding Information Overload
It’s unwise to visit more than three or four homes in a day because:
- It’s exhausting, mentally and physically.
- It’s difficult to remember what you’ve seen.
- Absorbing the atmosphere of each home becomes impossible if you have allowed insufficient time.
Before you and your relative can decide, if the home you’re currently visiting is the right home for them, you will need to find out as much as you can about the home.
The time to ask all the relevant questions is when you are discussing your relative’s needs with the matron. Many people arrive at the matron’s office ready to ask the vital questions then find their minds are a complete blank. Most people know what information they need but never think to write down the questions they need to ask. I urge you to take a few minutes and jot down the queries you have.
Some people who have been through the procedure of finding the best nursing or care home for their relative leave the matron’s office wishing they had remembered some vital issue they needed to ask about. However, if you do forget to ask something that’s a matter of some importance, it’s not too late. You can either telephone or make another visit and ask to speak to the person in charge regarding any further queries you have.