Finding Out Where Care Homes Are Located

You can live in an area for years and not realise there are nursing or residential care homes nearby. You can find out about them as follows.

• Contact your nearest Social Services’ Care Line and ask advice. They will send you all the information you need including a list of all types of homes in the area and tell you who to contact if the information you need is dealt with in another department. A care manager will advise you on the correct procedure to take if your relative wishes to be placed in a home in another town to be near you, their friends, or other members of the family.
• Look in your local telephone book to see care home advertisements.
• Your doctor’s surgery may also be able to help.

Visiting Homes

Having decided which homes appear to be most suitable make an appointment to view. Compile a list of things you want to see and ask. Take the list with you. It is much easier to remember to ask what you really want to know if it’s written down (see Figure 1).




The matron or a senior member of staff will show you the layout of the home, the residents’ rooms, communal rooms, bathrooms, etc.

You will see different aspects of nursing home life, depending on which time of the day you visit. If you visit at lunch time you may be able to visit the dining room, look at and smell the food. Is it appetising? Are the residents enjoying their meal? Do they look happy? Do they respond when you speak to them?

If you make an afternoon visit you may see a number of the residents enjoying some form of planned activity or entertainment; others might be resting or watching television.

Draw up a chart showing the things you notice in each home (Figure 1). If you jot them down at each visit you will not forget what you have seen. When you enter them on to a master chart differences between the homes you visit will become much more apparent (see Figure 2).

Planning Your Visit

Shortlist a few homes (about three: see Figure 3) you think would be most suitable for your relative. If you don’t see the matron on your first visit to the two or three preferred homes, you should make an appointment to see them on your second visit.

They will need to know all about your relative. This is why you need the written details you prepared when you assessed your relative’s needs (Chapter 1 Assessing your relative’s needs).







You might like to ask questions, such as:

The above questions are a few of the queries anxious relatives or prospective residents ask. You will probably think of other queries which are applicable to your relative.

Speaking To Staff

If possible have a chat to some of the staff while you’re making your visit. Note their attitude, whether they are happy. Happy staff tend to make happy residents!

Using Your Five Senses

Smell

This sense comes into play as soon as the door is opened to you.

• Does the home smell clean?
• Is there an odour of urine as you enter?
• Is there a smell of body odour?
• Do the toilets and bathrooms smell sweet?
• Are there any smells of stale food or cooking hanging around?

Touch

The things you touch should feel clean, particularly in the dining room.

• Are the chairs clean and dry?
• Is furniture that should be polished, polished or needing attention?

Sight

What do you see?

• Are the residents looking clean and well cared for? If a resident has spilled something, it will obviously take a few minutes for it to be noticed and their clothing changed.
• Do the residents look happy and comfortable?
• Are the staff wearing clean uniforms or clean personal clothing?