As you begin to age, and you’re approaching retirement, you may be planning for circumstances where you are in need of additional help in order to live the best quality of life. While there are some other alternatives to care homes, such as adapting your home, getting additional support at home, or moving into sheltered housing which allows you to enjoy more support on-site, a social care professional may advise a care home to be the best option for your requirements. Generally, care homes can reduce the burden of managing both your physical and health independently, while also allowing you to focus on your wellbeing much more appropriately. However, moving into the right care home will depend on your requirements, and here, we’ve put together some key considerations to help.
Finding A Care Home In Your Area
One of the main considerations for those who are moving into a care home, is finding one in their area, so they do not have to move far away from family and friends. For example, if you’re living in Essex, then you may want to review the care homes in Essex which match your health and personal requirements, in order to reduce any feelings of isolation that you may be concerned about when you make the move. Family and friends may be able to provide you with some recommendations about good care homes in your area, and making a list of all of the ones that catch your eye will help you to make your final decision. Treat the process of finding a care home in a similar manner to how you purchase a house – view each one individually, looking at the benefits and drawbacks of each, and naturally make your decision about which one matches your requirements most accurately.
Accessibility Of The Care Home
Similar to finding a care home in your area, looking at the accessibility of the care homes that you are considering should be a key point to discuss. Firstly, determining whether or not it is easy for your friends and family to visit the care home and whether or not there is sufficient parking for them should they choose to visit, can easily help you to make a decision. If the care home is not accessible, but you are very aware that you’re going to have regular visitors, then that particular care home may not be the right choice for you.
You should also consider where the nearest external facilities (such as shops, pubs, parks and places of worship) are, and whether or not there is good wheelchair access into and within the building. Accessibility is particularly important as you continue to age, especially if you are already experiencing some form of reduced mobility.
Staff
Getting to know the staff briefly is important when you visit the care home for the first time. Are the staff welcoming and friendly? Are the members of staff bi-lingual, so you can communicate in your preferred language without much difficulty? There are lots of questions to ask yourself, and the staff when you visit each care home, and this can be a key factor in your final decision. It is important to remember that you are going to be living in the care home full time, and as a result, you will need to feel comfortable and at ease with the staff who are going to be looking after you throughout the duration of your stay.
Finding the right care home for you is important in ensuring your happiness when you decide to make the move. While you may have specific health requirements that need catering for, finding a care home to match your specific needs is simple if you carry out the proper research. Having a family member support you throughout this transitional period can also help to ensure that your care home move is as seamless as possible, and will ensure that you find the best fit for you.