The best way to find out if you like a care home is to visit it and see for yourself. Talk to the people who live there. You can telephone first and arrange your visit, or you can just turn up and ask to look round.
You can get a list of local care homes from us, by looking in the Yellow Pages (under Residential and Retirement or Nursing Homes) or you can search online at the Care Quality Commission website. All homes are inpected every year to make sure that they provide the care that people need. Copies of the insepction reports are available to download from the Care Quality Commission website. When you visit a home, ask to see their latest inspection report.
Please avoid arriving at mealtimes for your first visit, if possible. These are the busiest times for staff. However, it is a good idea to arrange to have a meal with the residents at some point. The sorts of things you should look for in the home are:
- Is it a homely, friendly place?
- Does it smell nice?
- Do the people like living there?
You may need several visits before you make up your mind. This should not be a problem. It is a big decision to make.