What I want from a care home.......hopefully a long way off!

I’m sure most of us would rather stay in our own homes, but think round the clock care would prove very expensive plus the cost of running your home, which is why sadly many go into care.

Many years ago, when I was working, I was in Blackpool on a course and there were elderly people staying in the same hotel. In the sitting room, I could here Vera Lynn's "We'll Meet Again" and I could not get out on to the street fast enough without breaking a limb.

I would want Queen and the Rolling Stones. I also would need wifi for Alexa as well as everything else. I would be spending a lot of time in my room because I cannot bear singalongs and TV on all of the time.

I also do not want my evening meal at 5 pm and ushered to bed around 8 pm. I would not be easy to care for.

No sing-alongs and no bingo! No Easter bonnet competitions! No visits from Santa!
'We'll meet again' was the stuff of WW2 history topics!
Good Wi-Fi essential. Decent food and generous glasses of wine!
Have spelt out to my family that if I reach the stage where I don't recognise, appreciate and welcome them, they are not to visit!

sign me up Paddyann

My mum was stone deaf by the time she went into care and they kept losing her hearing aids so she couldn't hear any of the music they played. I donated their hi-fi system and a lot of records/CD's and boxed set videos to the home when my dad went in and also created a playlist on an iPod for him with all his favourites. It was a great comfort to sit there with him in his final days and play it - he was barely conscious but could obviously still hear and would squeeze my hand when I spoke to him.

If I should end up in care I want to go to one of the ones which has mock up streets with working shops where you can buy sweets and biscuits etc. If they could mock up a concert hall and play videos of my favourite bands that would be even better although I suspect I'd be the only patron . Actually I've just remembered shortly before my dad went in the home created a bar in one of the rooms and a long term resident used to run it serving 'beer and wine' - a great success!

Was it called 'The Argy Bargy' by any chance?

Kitty

Can I go on your waiting list please, Paddyanne?

Kittylester - a play list with dogs barking? I'd rather kill myself.

A good supply of champagne and Valium, a cat, room with a view, lots of books and no pressure to “mingle”! ?

Littleannnie- surely better than Vera on a loop!

What worries me is that I would be subject to music at all - and endless, hated TV. I would want to stay in my room with audio books and knitting.

I'm not a socialiser, or rather I don't mind if I've made that choice.

To be parked, because it's, 'rest home rules' in front of the telly, with 20 other nodding old biddies would make me want to start hoarding my pills.

Bradfordlass. ?

Sadly I will probably end up in one of those disgusting wee smelling LA homes where the highlight of the week is runny shepherds pie. Sorry, just facing the truth .

MawBroonsback you need to book a place at Tranquility, a complex run by friends of mine on quite revolutionary lines and which ticks all your boxes.

They went into it after years of managing rest homes, now largely owned by insurance companies (mostly American) or privately owned by Chinese. They thought they could do much better - and they have.

We've recently been working on a Dementia Book (similar to a Dementia Room.) Their residents go out to jazz clubs, festivals, meals and take part in community events. They have regular themed days looking at different cultures and foods.

This can't be construed as advertising GNHQ, as this is in the north of NZ and most people reading it here are in UK

www.eldernet.co.nz/Facilities/Rest_Home_Care/Tranquillity_Bay_Care_Ltd/Service/DisplayService/FaStID/856

Oh yes I like the look of that place BradfordLass72! Mainly the animals :-)
I think care homes need a bit of spark. I want one like they have in American films lol.
Preferably one where they can wheel me out to see some horses and where my room has a beautiful view and huge windows.

Most care homes are not owned by the local authority any more gilly.

littleannie, the point is that it is your playlist so you wouldn't put any barking dogs on it. Some people might.

BradfordLass72 that looks wonderful. My son's MIL is in sheltered care in NZ but I'm not sure if it's the same place - I think these are self contained apartments but with community facilities somewhere on the outskirts of Auckland. They do seem to have outings though and she is fairly settled although as time goes on she is more confused. Such a sad situation as we knew her quite well when she lived over here where she was a supply teacher in London before returning home. She then had a couple of strokes which have caused her dementia - she's only in her early 70's

Mum was in a care home for a year and DD has worked in care for years. None of the homes I know anything about made residents sit together, if they want to stay in their room fine, if they don't want to go to bed until 11pm fine. No piped music and no TV on 12 hrs a day.

They would have to introduce a new buzzer system.
It seems to be constant when I’m visiting my friend.
Maybe something that would deliver a small electric shock to the staff until the call is answered.?
Sorry to all care home workers. I know that the majority of you are lovely, caring, hardworking and underpaid.

I’m swallowing the reds if a care home hoves into view. No. Way. Jose.

Reading books such as Agatha Christie it would seem ladies with money in days gone by would move into hotels by the sea, sometimes with a nurse in tow.
Although in fiction at least, this seemed to be the more aging male character who had the nurse dancing in attendence.

I suppose my version would be a Premeir inn. Clean towels and sheets, tea,coffee, mini fridge and bar, TV. free WIFI with a restaurant attached.
Probably quite abit cheaper than a care home.
When fed up with one area move to somewhere else.

I am also going to sign up with local vets as scan, blood and Xray results the same day.
euthanasia as required

Cherry Ilike minds! I was just thinking recently that as long as I could manage independently, I'd far rather live in a cheap hotel, no housework or washing up and all the benefits you mention! I'm sure it would be massively cheaper, even at £100 a night and you might be able to negotiate a cheap rate for guaranteed occupancy..

I had 5 children just so I could do a royal progress when I'm old. I reckon 2 months with each one would be ok.

@kittylester, that’s exactly what my gran did. Out of her seven daughters, three wouldn’t play ball but she spent a month at a time with the other four. The last three months she stayed in the house of one, with the other three taking it in turns to go to stay and nurse her.