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This is a collaborative post.
Whether you’re researching care homes for yourself or are helping a relative with their options, finding the perfect home can be difficult. There are so many things to consider, from location to budget to specialist care. It’s important to do as much research as possible before making the transition and to help, we’ve created a guide to what makes the perfect care home to suit you and your family.
Responsive, specialist care
Different seniors require different levels of support. While some people might just want to live in a senior community with support available if needed, some will need nursing care due to dementia and other conditions.
The perfect care home will provide a specialist care plan, individual to each resident, which can be created and discussed before making your final decision about signing up.
As well as having a care plan in place, nurses and GPs should have a responsive approach to care so that if conditions worsen or your needs change, the plan adapts accordingly.
Facilities and scenery
Signature care homes have a huge variety of facilities available to residents and their families. As you’ll be spending your golden years within a senior community or care home, you should lookout for a residency that has great facilities to suit your hobbies and needs, as well as gardens and outdoor spaces for you to enjoy.
Inside, you should be able to take part in a number of activities and have several communal spaces where socialising and exercise are encouraged.
Personalisation
You should be able to personalise your own private space. This is your new home, after all, and you should be able to feel comfortable in it. Allowing residents to decorate their rooms and bring their favourite items from their old property – including a favourite armchair, for example – can make the transition much easier.
Healthy, varied food options
Just like care plans need to be individual to each resident, there should be plenty of nutritional food options available. A good care home will pay special attention to providing its residents with a tasty, varied diet that doesn’t get monotonous after a few months. In addition, care homes should work with special nutritionists to make sure everyone is getting a delicious, calorie counted meal every time.
Family and friends welcome
Staying social and connected to family and friends can make the transition into a care home much easier and reduce any feelings of burden or loneliness. A good care home will offer plenty of opportunities to welcome friends and family to special occasions, daily visits, or even meal times. Just because you now live in sheltered accommodation shouldn’t restrict the amount of social time you get to have.
With all of these things in mind, it’s worth asking as many questions as possible to the care home organisers before signing up. It’s also a good idea to take a visit – or several – to see what the facilities are like, what current residents think of the place, and where your room would actually be. That way, you’ll have everything you need to make the right decision for your golden years.