Choosing a Home
Lists of local registered care homes are available from social services. The next step is to choose a suitable home, perhaps with the help of a relative or friend.
Many points need to be considered at this stage, which will determine the future comfort, happiness and well-being of the person entering care. It is of paramount importance that the right approach is adopted when choosing a care home; it is no coincidence that people who are involved in the choice and enter care of their own free will tend to be happier, than those that are not consulted and who may feel abandoned as a result.
When the subject of long-term care first arises it may involve mixed emotions of anxiety, humility and abandonment as well as a feeling of not wishing to be a burden at home. On the other hand, many older people may feel relieved to be entering a secure and caring environment. Some common feelings could be the loss of independence, and fear of losing the right to exercise personal choice over ordinary daily life and risk-taking. The fear of loneliness, particularly if leaving a loved one at home, that links with a previous life may be broken, or cherished possessions lost. It is therefore important to understand the likelihood of some people feeling confused by these emotions.
The right choice of accommodation should involve the individual's personal and emotional needs. He or she may feel humiliated when entering care so the new environment should provide personal care where the resident can feel valued, safe and secure and be cared for to a standard that is not humiliating.
Assessing Your Needs
Whether the State is providing your care or you are going to be paying yourself you are entitled to an assessment of your care needs from the local authority social services department. This is particularly important if you are going to be paying for yourself initially but there is a chance your money might deplete to the level where the local authority will be required to provide means tested support.
Making the move
Once you have chosen your care home and organised your affairs you will be ready to move in, but remember your comfort and happiness is the most important thing. Perhaps give yourself a trial period in your new environment and delay selling your own home until you are certain that you have made the right choice.
Continuing Assessment
Whilst the standard of care chosen may be dictated to a degree by your financial resources, every care should be taken to ensure the best choice is made not just for the present, but also for possible future changing needs.
Your care needs can change and it may be that you need more intensive care if your health deteriorates. In some circumstances a review of your assessed needs might result in you needing to move to a different care home that can provide the level of care you need or it may mean that you could be entitled to more financial support from the State towards the costs.
It is therefore equally important that you keep your finances under review after entering care, perhaps by appointing a professional adviser or a relative to take care of this for you. In particular, your capital should always be correctly invested to meet possible changes in your needs and you should be aware of if, and when, you may be entitled to claim State financial support.
Your NHFA care fees planning report will illustrate the affordability of your chosen care over the long term.
Click Here to complete you Care Fees Planning Questionnaire
Checklist to Choosing A home
The checklist below is not intended to cover all needs but to provide an awareness of points to consider when choosing a home - too many negative points may seriously affect the standard of care.
If you find it helpful, please check the boxes that are applicable and then print this page for future reference...
Location
You may wish to remain close to your present home, relatives and friends or General Practitioner. If you are considering a change in location consider:
Complaints Procedure
Any difficulties or problems you encounter should first be taken up with the home proprietor. If you are unable to satisfactorily resolve the problem, it should be referred in writing to the social services department, or health authority homes inspector.
