5 Important Factors to Consider when Choosing a Care Home

Deciding to move into a care home is a significant decision that requires a lot of research and consideration. Moving into a care home is equally significant and finding a care home that provides exactly the kind of care and services you’re looking for can be an incredibly difficult process. There are so many various factors to take into account, and it can be overwhelming at times with the amount there is to think about. 

We have detailed 5 of the most important factors when choosing a care home to help assist you in determining the type of care you may require and what to look out for while visiting a care home. It’s essential to carefully consider all aspects of your or your loved ones' needs and preferences when deciding on a care home, as every care home is different and might suit your lifestyle in various different ways. Here are a few things to consider when choosing a care home. 

How to Choose a Long-Term Care Facility

The below should help you get a better understanding of the moving process, and what it is exactly that you’re looking for. Care homes and nursing homes can differ from one to the next, so it’s important to consider every single aspect of a home before finalising your decision. When selecting a care facility, it is a good idea to take the following factors into account:

Home Location

When visiting a care facility, it's important to consider how easy it is to get there, how close it is to loved ones and how at ease you feel wandering around. Make sure to look into local councils and local authority regulations, as there are lots of different factors to consider when choosing a nursing home or a residential facility. It’s also a good idea to consider public transport and amenities in the area if shops, banks, park and restaurants for example are important to you. 

It is important to also keep in mind the level of mobility of the prospective resident. The majority of purpose-built care facilities are easily accessible to those using wheelchairs and walking frames. Care facilities should feature ramps, lifts, support rails, and spacious hallways, and it's crucial to remember that aid with mobility will always be offered there.

Care Service 

Care homes aim to offer a high quality of care to all of their residents, no matter the type of personal care they require. Whether it’s specific and tailored memory and dementia care or residential care, care homes will deliver one or more types of care by a team of specialists in those areas, whilst being supported by care and senior care assistants.

It can be difficult to choose a care home for either yourself or a loved one, but most care homes will welcome you to have a consultation with the home manager or a senior member of the team, so they can give their expert advice on what they think the right path is for you. 

Cleanliness & Environment

Throughout your visit to a care home, take notice of how clean and well put together the environment is and feels. Cleanliness is always important in a care home, or any living space for that matter. However, in a care home, there are many procedures in place both medical and otherwise that require a sterile environment. There are also features of personal care that need to be carefully considered to help those living with dementia. 

A care home, however, is so much more than that. A care facility might be the perfect setting with a variety of care options and services, but it might not feel like a home. Ensuring that a care home feels warm, welcoming and homely and is decorated and furnished to your taste is so very crucial to the entire moving process, and can be the key deciding factor in relocating to a care home.

Available Facilities 

There may be a wide variety of suitable care homes for you or your loved one to choose from, however, one thing that might very well set one apart from the rest is the quality of their onsite facilities. It can be difficult to know how to choose a care home for dementia sufferers or for those with more debilitating conditions, but looking for a care home with appropriate and helpful facilities can certainly be a step in the right direction. 

It’s always wise to have a clear idea as to what’s important to you or your loved one in terms of lifestyle. For example, what benefits would having access to a fully equipped cinema room bring to you, or would a spacious landscaped garden positively impact you physically and emotionally? Consider how the onsite facilities can improve your day-to-day life and fit in with your current lifestyle.

Overall Costs

When it comes to care home fees, this will vary depending on the individual, their circumstances, the home’s location and the amenities provided by the care home. For example, if a care home offers all-inclusive amenities such as fine dining, a cinema room, a library, and a beauty salon in a luxurious setting, higher fees are likely. The type of care that you need, will also take effect on the cost of care, for example, if a resident needs more personal care, that require a qualified nurse.

In some cases, local authorities may be able to provide government funding to help reduce the overall cost of living in a care home. We recommend contacting your local council to see if you or a loved one are eligible for additional funding. Once again, every home is different and will have different procedures in place, so care costs will vary.

Getting the Care You Deserve at The Amwell

All of our efforts are focused on ensuring that the wellbeing of our residents is prioritised, therefore our devoted and respectful team of professionals will consistently go above and beyond to make each resident's experience both personally and medically as seamless as possible. 

Our facilities are equipped with call systems as well, so you can rest easy knowing that someone will be on hand to assist you no matter the time of day or night. Providing around-the-clock care enables us to thoroughly understand the needs of each and every one of our residents and provide them with the very highest standards of Residential care, Dementia care and Respite care.

Our personalised approach to care guarantees that each of our residents may lead fulfilling lives with as little or as much help as they need.

Living Your Life to the Fullest

We are able to provide each of our residents with the greatest quality of care and support thanks to our wide variety of facilities and care services here at The Amwell Care Home, Melton Mowbray. Regardless of the difficulties they may have struggled through, we strive to create strong, lasting bonds with our residents and their loved ones so that no matter what, there is always safe and comfort here at The Amwell Care Home.