When it comes to choosing the right care home, many options have to be considered. Your own needs (personal and medical), the location, the care home’s standards/rating, cost and more. This isn’t a decision we all make on a daily basis, so it requires a lot of time, thought and careful consideration. Here at Little Croft Care Home in Bristol, we will try to help you get one step closer to making that decision.
Understanding your needs
There are an array of care homes that are tailored to different peoples needs. From ones which provide specialist nursing and dementia care to a simple and safe home with minimal assistance from staff.
You will make this decision alongside your GP and family. Discovering all the care you will need and may need in the future. Once you’ve gathered all the relevant information, you can make the right decision when selecting the appropriate care homes.
Selecting the right location
A lot of care home residents will have strong and personal connections to their communities and will be the driving force behind picking a particular care home. When looking at all the available options, it would be good to find one in a place you’re familiar with or even one closer to family or friends so they can come to visit with ease. A quick Google search will tell you the list of local care homes as well as dedicated care home directory websites.
Check quality standards
The next thing you’ll want to research is the quality standards of each care home. Independent regulators, such as the Care Quality Commission, will give you trustworthy and reliable reviews so you can be sure you’re getting the best care for your location and budget. Our care home, Little Croft, has a CQC rating of ‘good’ which is one of the highest scores for care homes in Bristol.
Make a shortlist for your visit
Once you have narrowed down your care home options, you should make a shortlist and visit the places you’re interested in the most. We recommend going to visit your chosen care home as it gives you the opportunity to meet the manager and staff, see the facilities and ultimately to see if you would be happy living there. This is not a decision you should always just make via a few pictures, if you can help it.
We understand this will be a change from your current living situation so it’s important to ‘follow your heart’ in these decisions. One of your shortlisted care homes will become your new home, so don’t take the decision lightly.
Cost of care
The cost of your care can vary depending on what type of help and assistance you will need. It’s good to do some sums and look at every option available to you. There could be charities that help support your fees or it can be entirely self funded. Check out this page to see your options. We understand that this is one of the most important factors when choosing a care home so please discuss this with your loved ones and even the home care itself, so you can understand how much everything will be without having to worry about it in the future.
Settle in and enjoy it!
Once you have found your desired care home, it’s important to settle in. This is a new and exciting direction of your life, one where you don’t need to worry about getting assistance because it is there for you 24/7. You’ll be able to take up new hobbies, make new friends as well as see your old ones. This is your time to enjoy life.
Discover more at Little Croft Care Home and don’t be afraid to reach out if you have any questions or queries.