Checklist of questions to ask a care home.
Take a photo of the care home before you go in, so that subsequent photos will remind you which home you took them in.
1. How is food cooked, is it freshly prepared on the premises, frozen or delivered?
2. What time is food served and is there a dedicated dining room? Can your relative eat in their room if preferred? Are mealtimes flexible?
Are special diets catered for?
Can residents prepare their own drinks and snacks?
Can residents choose what and when they eat?
Does the home cater for relatives and friends to eat with residents?
Is there a garden and outdoor space? Is this space accessible for residents with dementia?
If your relative is a smoker are there dedicated areas?
How many lounges are there and is there one without a TV?
What activities are going on in the communal lounges whilst you are visiting?
If your relative has reduced mobility are there hand rails/a lift/ramps?
What are the languages spoken in the home?
Does the home encourage residents to do as much as possible themselves and make their own decisions about how they live their lives?
Are there visiting times?
To what extent can residents bring in their own personal possessions? Can they bring in their own bed for example?
Can residents choose what time they get up and go to bed?
Is there a telephone point in the room?
Does the room have an en suite shower/wet room?
What is the view like out of the window?
What size is the room?
Is it just a bedroom that is being offered or is there a kitchenette?
Does the home have apartments with a separate bedroom and living area?
What floor is your relative likely to be living on? Usually residents with dementia are on the first or second floor, ensure there is outside space or that residents are regularly taken out for fresh air.
What activities does the home offer? (Take a photo of the activities board).
Are books available and can newspapers be delivered?
How are valuable items kept secure?
Do residents have their own GP?
Is there a residents committee?
Are toilets available and accessible in all parts of the home?
Can wheelchairs go everywhere, including outside?
How often can residents have a bath and is the bathroom warm and welcoming?
Is there a hairdresser? Are other services available i.e. a manicure or massage?
Do chiropodists/opticians and dentists visit the home regularly?
Does the home provide end of life care or would the resident need to move if their care requirements changed?
Can a relative stay overnight if necessary?
Does the home offer respite care or a ‘try before you buy’ option?
What are the staffing ratios? These vary depending upon the type of care offered.
I just wanted to thank you properly for the work that you and Martha undertook to help find my Aunt a care home that suited her. When I returned from the States I was able to sit down with your document, decide which ones I wanted to follow up on, visit several and come to a clear decision quite quickly. It was the first one on your list, Bridge Haven in Bridge, about 10 minutes down the road. I thought it was excellent, especially the attitude and behaviour of the staff, and we’ve since found out that it has a very good reputation locally. Sheila is moving in on the 17th and looking forward to it. I wouldn’t have known where to start without your help and such a quick and satisfactory resolution would not have been possible.