The questions to ask when viewing a care home
/Visiting a care home is your best opportunity to see if it’s right for your relative or friend, so we recommend taking these questions with you to get the most out of the viewing.
These are just a starter - what’s important to you and your loved one might be different, so having your own checklist will give you peace of mind that you’ll find the perfect care home for them.
Get in touch here if you would like to book a viewing at one of our care homes.
What is the ratio of staff to residents?
It’s important to feel confident with the level of attention and care the home can offer, and one way to understand this is to see how many staff per resident there will be. There isn’t a legal requirement for what this staff to resident ratio needs to be, so it’s definitely worth asking. Most homes will be able to plan for how many staff are required at any one time, depending on the needs of the residents in the entire home, but also on each floor.
At Hill House and Westside, we aim to have at least one carer for every five residents, and one nurse per unit/floor during the day, with a designated unit manager, and an overall home manager. We increase this depending on the needs of the residents, but this is our minimum, and we aim to have a high level of staff per resident.
What sort of events and activities are there?
A big part of daily life in the home will be the activities and entertainment, and these are usually run by a full-time events coordinator. Most homes will adapt and tailor the activities so they meet the residents’ capabilities and interests. At the viewing you should be able to see what the weekly activities schedule looks like, both in the home and in the gardens, and if they have any external entertainment.
As an example, events during a typical week at our homes will include bingo and quizzes, armchair exercises, teapot Tuesdays and a church service on Sunday. Some of the special external events we’ve hosted include opera singers in our garden, plays and pantomimes (put on by our staff last Christmas due to Covid), reminiscence talks, petting zoos, a summer party and barbecue, trips to gardens and nurseries, and the occasional pub garden visit.
Like other aspects of life in the care home, Coronavirus restrictions have meant external activities are currently quite limited. At Hill House and Westside we’ve been using video technology to keep some of our classes and sessions running, and we hope they can start again soon when restrictions allow.
How does visiting work?
You’ll want to understand the visiting policy so you can see if this works for you and how often you want to see your loved one. During Coronavirus, this has changed for all care homes, so we definitely recommend finding out what the current visiting procedures are and what options are available.
In our homes, we have introduced internal, external and video calls which give some flexibility while we’re restricted on how many visitors can come inside the home. Current Government guidance means care home residents can only have two named visitors indoors, but this will change in the coming months.
See the latest visiting procedures we have introduced at Hill House and Westside.
How is the food prepared?
For many residents, the meals on offer will be a huge factor in choosing the right care home for them. If you’re looking for somewhere with home-cooked, nutritious food, you’ll want to find out if there’s an onsite chef rather than catering brought in each day. You should also be able to see a sample menu and get an idea of how often they’re updated.
In our homes, we have onsite chefs and catering assistants who can take into account the preferences of the residents’, and create new menus seasonally. They even offer occasional cookery demonstrations, and plenty of celebratory menus and party food for birthdays and special occasions.
What does a typical day look like?
Understanding what the daily routine in a care home will be can help you visualise if it’s the right place for your relative or friend. The staff will be able to give you an overview of mealtimes, when activities take place, how visiting works, and what facilities are available. Depending on what day and time you visit, the feel of the home could be very different, so bear that in mind and think about where and how they’ll be spending their time.
Can I see reviews from family and friends of other residents?
You should always be able to see reviews of the care provided at the home from relatives and friends, either on the home’s own website or external sites such as carehome.co.uk. For the latter, these have to be verified before they can be published here, so you know they’re authentic and can be trusted.
Feel free to have a look at our latest reviews here for Hill House and here for Westside.
Finding the right care home is hugely important - so don’t feel put off from asking too many questions, it’s essential you find the home where your relative will be happiest.
If you’re ready to visit us then get in touch and a arrange a viewing at Hill House or Westside today, and we’ll be happy to answer your questions.
