Once you have walked around and decided if the atmosphere
is what you would like, use this final checklist.
- Do residents look well dressed and well cared for?
- Are residents in different places around the home?
- Are they engaged in activities? (i.e. not sitting around the room asleep)
- Does the home make a pre-admission assessment?
- Does the home offer trial periods?
- Are residents offered the opportunity to go out on outings or to the shops?
- Are there plenty of staff on duty?
- Is the home secure?
- Is the Certificate of Registration on display?
- Is there a Complaints Procedure available?
What the staff should ask you on your first visit:
- What do you like to be called?
- What contact will you have with other family members?
- Who will visit you and how often?
- Where do you live now?
- Do you have friends close by?
- Do you have any special diet or food preferences?
- How is your general health?
- Do you have any long-term health problems, such as diabetes or continence?
- Where have you lived before?
- Did you work outside the home?
- What are the important family events?
- What hobbies, activities or interests do you currently enjoy?
- Do the staff invite you to: - visit at different times? - talk to residents? - talk to staff? - meet relatives or residents?
(if not, and you like the home, ask if you can do these things)
For those choosing a home for a relative or a friend:
Can we visit your relative / friend to make our first assessment?
(A good home will want to meet the potential resident before accepting them).
The bottom line:
Visit more than one care home and visit more than once.
Ask a lot of questions and trust your own feelings about the places you visit.
