Blog

At Holmes Care Group we believe in empowering people to make the best choice for their personal needs. We make sure all potential residents and their loved ones are given the information they need to make an informed choice, allowing them to be confident they have picked the right home, that meets their personal needs and where they will be happy and well cared for. Here are some of our top‐tips for choosing a care home:

Take your time! 

As with any big decision, choosing a care home is not a choice that should be rushed. 

We understand that the need to make a quick decision can sometimes be out of your hands, especially if your loved one is moving from a hospital into a care home, however wherever possible our number one piece of advice is to take your time. If possible, start thinking and planning for future care needs before you need to make a decision. 

At Holmes Care Group we never rush potential residents to make a decision. Instead we support and empower them and their loved ones to make informed choices and ultimately find a care home where they feel safe, happy and have their individual needs met.

Think about your care needs. 

When choosing a care home one of the most important questions to ask is whether the home will meet your or your loved one’s care needs. There are different types of care homes, each catering to different levels of need. For example, a resident requiring residential care will need a different set of services than one that requires dementia or nursing care. Some care homes offer all these services in one home, while others prefer to cater for specific needs. 

It’s important to consider which type of home will best suit your current and future needs. To find out what care services are on offer at Holmes Care Group visit here.

Location, Location, Location 

For many residents finding a care home in their local community is the number one priority – helping them maintain links with their family, friends and community. For others, finding a quiet spot near the country or seaside is preferable. 

Whether you are looking for a care home in Essex or in Glasgow, it’s important to think about the distances family and friends may need to travel and how easy it is to get there, especially if you are relying on public transport. A variety of online tools, for example Google Maps, can help you assess transport options and local authorities and GP practices often have lists of care homes in your area.

Activities Programme 

A good care home should have a wide range of activities and events on offer for residents to enjoy – from day trips, to garden parties, bingo games and sing‐alongs. 

When you tour a care home make sure you speak to the Activities Coordinator and ask to see their activities programme. A good programme should have something on offer for everyone, no matter their ability, age or personality type. You can also visit our News section to see some of the activities Holmes Care Group offers for our own residents – from Valentine’s Day events at Larkfield View in Greenock to Garden Parties at Sycamore Court in Brentwood, Essex – or contact your local Holmes Care Group home for a full listing of activities our residents will be enjoying this week

Inspection Reports 

Familiarise yourself with the most recent inspection report for the home. The Care Quality Commission inspects homes in England while the Care Inspectorate Scotland and Care Inspectorate Wales focus on those respective countries. 

Each review and grade a home in a different way, but all base their assessment on visiting for just one or two days, meaning they can often show a snapshot picture of what a home is like. 

Therefore, don’t let those be the sole indicator of whether a home is right for you. Care home comparison sites like carehome.co.uk are also excellent indicators of what life is like at a care home. These sites allow residents and relatives to review individual care homes and display ratings out of 10 for each home. Reviews like this give an overview of real experiences over a longer time period and shows an accurate picture of the long‐term quality of care and service provided.

Visit the Home 

This will give you a better idea of day‐to‐day things like amenities and the food menu, but it also gives you the chance to ask any questions, view the facilities and speak to other residents, their families and staff about their experiences. 

This is where you’ll get the best feel of what life is like at the care home across a longer time period. It’s important you feel comfortable with the staff team and fellow residents and that you can see you or your loved one being happy in their new home.

Care Provider’s vision 

Finally, do a little bit of research into the care provider, not just the home. These are, after all, the people ultimately responsible for delivering care. 

Ask yourself what is the company’s ethos? What motivates them to look after elderly communities? For Holmes Care Group, for example, our goal is to enrich the lives of not only the people we look after, but also their families, our employees and our local communities. A good care provider will be focussed on more than just profit. They will genuinely want to make a difference to the lives of the people they care for. 

In the end, it comes down to gut feeling – you can research the care provider and home for hours, but the only way you will truly know is when you visit the home and picture yourself or a loved one living there. 

If you want to find out more about the services Holmes Care Group offers please call 01708 251227 or visit http://www.holmes‐care.co.uk/our‐services