Everyone wants to ensure that the best care possible is provided for a loved one. When the time comes to make the decision on a long-term care facility, it is important that you obtain information to make the right choice. Research is key when selecting a suitable home. We recommend visiting a variety of care homes with your family to allow you to make direct comparisons and make a joint decision on what type of care home would be best.
Here are some useful things to consider and important questions to ask when searching for a suitable care facility.
Quality of Life
The first thing you should consider when deciding on a care home for a loved one is their quality of life. Their overall quality of life can be influenced by many factors. Simple things like the location of the home and the visiting times are incredibly important. The home must be easily accessible for family and friends to come and visit. A question to ask the care home staff is if they have any visiting time restrictions as this may become frustrating or limiting over time.
Another factor concerns the mental and social wellbeing of your loved one. Ask the manager or better yet, the activity coordinator of the home which activities they provide for residents. Does your loved one have the opportunity to keep up with their hobbies or pastimes? Do they offer days out to help them stay active and socialise with other residents? Do they have a telephone or TV readily available for residents to use?
If you are looking for specialist services it is best to speak to the care home manager for an overview of what they can offer. An important question to ask is if they offer person-centered care services. Care homes that implement StoriiCare offer the gold standard of person-centered care. StoriiCare enables care staff to participate in one-to-one or group sessions with residents, reminiscing over life story and historical content to improve quality of life and encourage conversation amongst staff and residents. This is equally beneficial for families as they are able to view the work of the care staff and contribute to the media used in sessions i.e photos, videos, music, including highlights of their loved one's life. Families can securely access resident profiles through Storii (our free public platform) from any internet enabled device, at anytime from anywhere in the world.
Care Home Quality Standards
Concerning the quality of a care home, you can review their inspection report which measures if a care home meets the right standards. In Scotland, the Care Inspectorate is the official organisation who regulates and runs inspections of care services. Visit their website to gain access to care home ratings - it's free!
If you are looking for a home outside of Scotland you can find information on inspection reports with the following organisations:
- Care Quality Commission (England)
- Care and Social Services Inspectorate (Wales)
- Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (Northern Ireland)
Evaluate Environment & Atmosphere
Care homes can differ considerably when it comes to overall atmosphere and character. It is essential to find an environment in which your loved one will feel comfortable. When evaluating the environment think about your initial thoughts of a home. Were the staff welcoming and friendly? Will your loved one feel safe here? Is the atmosphere warm and homely?
Speak to a care provider about using StoriiCare today!
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