What Should You Look For In A Nursing Care Home?
Understanding what it is that transforms an ordinary old house into a ‘home’ can be subjective. Is it the comfort of familiar furniture? The photos of our loved ones on the wall? Or the closeness of our friends and family? Perhaps it’s a combination of all these things and much more besides.
At Caring Homes, we believe your home should be a place where you feel happy, nurtured and content – whether it be a childhood home, your own space, or a nursing home. We enjoy nothing more than helping people who visit our homes to make the best choices, so we thought we would share a few friendly tips on what to look for in a nursing home to ensure you’re making the best choice for you and to suit your needs.
Everyone is unique and all our preferences differ, but with a little helping hand, there’s no reason not to be able to find a warm, welcoming nursing care home that ticks all your boxes.
What to Look for in a Nursing Home
1. Location
The location of the nursing home is one of the first aspects to consider. Proximity to family and friends is important for maintaining social connections and goes a long way towards helping with emotional wellbeing.
While the prospect of moving to a new location can be daunting, we’re strong believers that it doesn’t need to be. The UK is full of natural beauty, from vibrant forests to rolling hills and stunning scenery. Moving to a new nursing home simply opens another corner of that world for exciting days out with your loved ones.
At Caring Homes, we have a range of luxurious nursing homes scattered all around the country. You can find all our homes here, or search by county or town to find the nearest location to your area.
2. Quality Of Care
The quality of care provided by any nursing home is paramount. It’s always beneficial to research the facility’s reputation and record in terms of medical care and specialised care for any relevant conditions, such as dementia or Alzheimer’s.
Reading reviews by residents and guests is a great way to gain insight into the level of care offered by a care home. You could also seek recommendations from healthcare professionals.
One of the advantages of nursing homes is that they often abode strict standards of care and training for staff. Accreditation and ratings from relevant healthcare authorities are another indicator of a nursing care home’s commitment to quality and safety standards. For instance, Caring Homes’ award-winning ‘My World’ training offers exceptional care for individuals with dementia.
3. Accommodation And Amenities
The living conditions and amenities of a nursing home will always influence the quality of life of its residents, particularly as many will have often complex health needs. It’s important to look for clean and well-maintained living spaces that cater first and foremost to residents’ comfort.
On top of this, homely common areas and relaxing outdoor spaces will all contribute to an enriched lifestyle and well-being. Food quality and options are also key, where nutritious, balanced, innovative food can make meal times a treat and where special diets or fortified meals can be catered for.
Don’t forget, a nursing home will be your new home, so ensure you’re happy with every aspect of it, from your personal living area to the shared amenities. At Caring Homes, we aim to make our care homes as luxurious and comfortable as possible, ensuring every need is provided for.
4. Caring, Compassionate Nurses
When considering what to look for in a nursing home, looking for specialist and Registered General Nurses who you trust is key. Nursing care ensures peace of mind for residents with complex care needs where Registered General Nurses are there for them day and night, supporting their own unique health-related needs.
At Caring Homes, our nurses are chosen for their experience across a wide range of clinical conditions, but it doesn’t stop there. Good care is a given; it’s the compassion they show every day, the time they take to listen, and their kind reassurance that can make the difference.
5. Atmosphere And First Impressions
The overall atmosphere and environment of a nursing care home are just as important as the facilities. A warm, inviting, homely atmosphere will play a huge part in creating a place of happiness and joy that you won’t want to take yourself away from. Of course, the simplest way to judge the atmosphere of a care home is to see it for yourself. We all know that first impressions and sheer gut instinct count.
If the staff are polite and courteous, and if the home is not just clean, but spotless then this is likely to be the bar they set. Probably the greatest ‘litmus test’ is whether the residents look happy and content.
We love welcoming visitors to all our UK nursing homes, especially where you can see how residents get along with each other and our wonderful team.
6. Friendly Team
The best care homes have the best team, and ours are no different! These friendly and professional individuals will be at the heart of the care provided and make a world of difference to a resident’s experience. When visiting a nursing home, speak to the team – the manager, carer and nurses and have a few conversations to gauge how you’ll fit in.
It can also be a good idea to learn a little about the team’s training, especially in care homes with nursing services. In our case, all our team go through specialist training programmes to ensure they’re providing the best possible level of service for all residents.
Caring Homes
To learn more about the types of care and services available from Caring Homes feel free to explore our website. You can also browse our site to find a nursing care home nearest or most suitable to you and arrange a visit. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch by calling 0808 169 8661 or sending us a message if you have any questions or would like to learn more.
