Questions to ask when visiting a care home
We have produced a checklist which suggests questions that you might like to ask about a home. It is useful to take the checklist with you when you visit a home, and to make notes while you are there. It is easy to forget details when you are looking at several homes.
You will have a lot to think about - your first impressions of staff and residents, physical features of the building, details of the rooms, arrangements about personal possessions, the care regime and day-to-day life - as well as the financial side.
You should ask to see a copy of the home's standard contract/agreement when you visit, and also how and when the price you pay will be reviewed.
When deciding on which homes to visit, you can read the independent inspection reports for each home published by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI).
When you have found what you think is the right home there are several things that you need to consider before making a final decision. These may include:
- arranging a trial period
- making sure there is written agreement with the home about the terms of the care you are buying
- considering whether you want to make provision for someone to take over the running of your day-to-day affairs.