Picking a care home for a loved one is notoriously difficult, with considerations such as costs and budgets, travelling distances, access to friendship groups and community events, and the standard of accommodation, before even considering the facilities, activities, and quality of care.
There is never one care setting or provision that will be right for every family, either, because a lot might depend on the individual’s care needs and whether they have a diagnosis that means their reliance on care assistance is expected to increase in the future.
We’ve put together seven pointers, based on the many conversations the Forest Healthcare teams across the group have had in recent years, to help ensure you have the right information when making considered choices on your loved one’s behalf.
The Pressures Associated With Residential Care Decisions
Deciding whether a relative, parent, or partner requires care is, in itself, tough. This can be an emotionally charged time when families need to be honest about how well a loved one can manage independently, or whether they can realistically meet their care needs.
In this context, trying to find an amazing care centre, comparing potentially hundreds of facilities, and relying on information that may not be accurate can all make these decisions harder.
Seven Factors Families Should Be Aware of When Making Care Arrangements
For many families, the worst-case scenario is that, after the disruption of helping a loved one move into a care home, they discover this wasn’t the right choice, and that could be due to many different reasons or misconceptions about the centre’s suitability.
1. Care Needs and Costs Increase Over Time
Costs shouldn’t be shied away from, and whether you have subsidised or council-funded care, or are privately financing care arrangements, you must understand what this will cost and why it is very likely to change. This happens because:
- As care centre residents age, their cognition and independence usually decline as well.
- Chronic and progressive conditions will require greater support over time.
Having clear oversight of what care needs and costs look like now, and when they will increase, is essential for budgeting. It also ensures families can plan ahead if they may need to apply for financial support or make current or future decisions, such as whether to sell a family home.
2. Definitions of 24-Hour-Care Are Not Always Consistent
Hearing that a care home offers 24-7 support is reassuring, but this doesn’t necessarily mean the same thing. In some facilities, this could imply that care staff and nurses are on shift day and night, ready to respond immediately if any resident needs a friendly face, a listening ear, or help getting in and out of bed.
In others, it could mean that care personnel perform routine checks to ensure all residents are sleeping well, or that care is available in an emergency, but not necessarily delivered around the clock.
3. Day-to-Day Risk Management Is as Important as Medical Diagnoses
Receiving a confirmed diagnosis can help with care planning and ensure a resident receives the medications they require, but this isn’t a standalone ‘resolution’. It’s just as vital that care homes put in place measures to protect their residents’ safety. For example, they should:
- Perform regular risk assessments to prevent falls and avoidable injuries
- Ensure vulnerable residents are properly supported during periods of change
- Balance the resident’s right to independence with a duty to safeguard their welfare
Quality of life is pivotal, and paying attention to a resident’s communication, wishes, and emotional welfare plays just as big a role in ensuring they are supported as any diagnosis-focused care.
4. Some Residential Homes Cannot Accept Residents With Long-Term Complex Needs
Care homes aren’t equal, and some centres that offer general residential care don’t have the specialist staff or resources to accommodate residents with complex health and welfare needs, or whose care is likely to become more complex in the future.
In some instances, an individual who does not yet require nursing care but will do so as their condition progresses may benefit from a specialised nursing centre from the outset, which can continue supporting them in the years to come without further disruption.
5. Care Needs Assessments Are One-Time Snapshots
Care assessments are fundamental in any residential setting, and families should be actively encouraged to participate, alongside residents who can vocalise their wishes, preferences, likes and dislikes.
However, a care assessment provides an overview of how the person’s needs can be best supported now, and, in most cases, this will need to be updated continually.
Revised care assessments might mean that support plans need to be changed, that higher-level care becomes necessary, or that families need to be informed about situations in which funding, such as NHS Continuing Healthcare, becomes a factor.
6. Convenient Locations Don’t Guarantee High Quality Care
It may be tricky to find a care home within easy travelling distance, but that also offers the best possible care. Our advice is to visit any prospective care centre first-hand to ensure you are 100% confident that it is a welcoming, inclusive and warm environment where your loved one will thrive.
Picking the closest care centre is tempting, but this might be a mistake. It could be more beneficial to split visits between loved ones, allowing them to choose a fantastic home a little further away rather than struggle with doubts about the standards of care on offer locally.
7. Lower-Cost Care May Not Be Sustainable or Beneficial
Finally, we speak with countless families who have had challenging experiences with low-cost care. Although budgets, of course, play a huge part in finding a care centre you can trust to look after the needs of a loved one, and that you as a family can afford, quality matters.
Experienced care managers can provide guidance on situations where financial support may be available and help families understand how to apply for assistance for which they may be eligible, so care costs aren’t necessarily the biggest consideration.
How to Make Confident Care Decisions as a Family
We hope this guide has shed light on the many stumbling blocks families face when organising care and highlighted the decision-making involved.
If in doubt, we advise you to visit any residential or nursing home you are considering in person, to arrange convenient times for private tours to review the facilities, ideally with the prospective care home resident, and keep your loved one fully involved in both picking a care home and creating personalised care plans.
It’s also well worth taking the time to read independent, verified reviews and ratings through directories like CareHome.co.uk, which can provide invaluable insight into the real-world experiences of other families and residents.
If you are currently exploring care options for a loved one, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our team at Forest Healthcare to discuss how we can support you and help you make the right choice with confidence.