surrey care homes
Photograph courtesy of Birtley House Nursing Home Bramley
CARE TALK
emotional experience. You first priority is to do your best to ensure your relative receives good quality care to meet their needs and that they will be happy and comfortable.
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If your relative is considering moving to a residential care home or a nursing home, the first step is to get a free needs- assessment from the social services department of your local authority. Then you need to find care homes in your chosen area that provide the type of care your relative needs. This might be residential care only, nursing care, or specialist care for dementia or a specific illness or disability.
Try to visit all the homes on your shortlist, making an appointment to meet the care home manager. When you visit a care home it’s important to get as much information as you can - so look at
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oving a relative into residential care or a nursing home can be a difficult and
Finding the right Care Home can be a tricky issue
the latest inspection report in advance. If there’s anything that you haven’t understood on the care home inspection report, now is the time to discuss this. Keeping active is all important and many homes have physical activity sessions which aim to encourage residents to benefit from fun and enjoyable movement using music and props, with the aim of improving stability and reducing falls. Some homes have external providers who visit and run sessions such as Tai’ chi and yoga. Homes should also have social activities, entertainment, outings, afternoon teas and visits to places of interest and a good home will have a bus or van to take people out and about. Food options are important and menus should offer residents an interesting menu that uses local produce wherever possible. When a new resident moves in, their food preferences should be discussed and their various dietary issues, including intolerances and any other problems the
individual may have, should be discussed. Look at the interaction of the staff with the residents. For example, do they make eye contact with residents and, most importantly, are staff members talking to the people in their care? A sitting room full of residents with no staff in attendance means nobody is caring for those people. Remember that if you’re not happy with something, you can ask the home for an explanation.
Ask yourself these questions before making a decision: Is there accommodation available within your relative’s budget? Is there a post office, shop or bank nearby? Are residents able to keep up their hobbies, interests or participate in activities? What is the public transport like? Will friends and family be able to visit easily?
Such in-depth knowledge will help you and your relative make the best possible decision about residential care - so take all the time you need to get it right.
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