What do you / your loved ones look for in a care home? Share your thoughts with CQC - £300 Love2Shop voucher to be won NOW CLOSED

sensitivity

I look at how staff are interacting with the residents, the cleanliness of the place, the reputation. I ask about the activities offered and staff turnover.

Kindness in staff and a good amount of entertainment and attention for residents

First check that the residents are happy,that staff know the residents well,that staff are friendly, well trained and knowledgeable, that clients are assisted with personal care by regular staff and on a daily basis at the clients chosen time,check that the home is clean and homely,well managed and staff are happy to work there.I would also check the CQC rating for the home and make sure that there is plenty of stimulation and activities for clients. The clients privacy and dignity should be respected at all times and last but not least ensure food is good and plentiful,clients have choices and drinks are available at all times,

Fresh and airy with a friendly efficient atmosphere. Gardens and outside spaces to enjoy nature and local wildlife. Appetising smells of cooking at mealtimes.

I would hope to find an open door policy with anyone welcome at any time. Residents should have the opportunity to have a measure of independence so provision of kitchenettes and a laundry. Rooms should not be shared and would have ensuite facilities...shower, toilet and basin and space for residents to use it as a bed sit if they wish. Separate bathrooms with hoists etc on each floor. Quality lounge, dining room and outside areas. I would want to see home cooked meals with menu variety.Above all staff should be happy and caring and the whole home should be clean, well decorated and fresh smelling

I'm sure it's all been said, but my priorities would be cleanliness, privacy, good food and friendliness. I'd like a daily shower or bath, a pleasant room that I'd be happy to sit in all day if I wanted, and staff that cared and were well treated themselves. Social activities if I wanted them, including trips out, and particularly in the evening.

Happy caring staff, happy residents, clean and most important of all, they may be old but they are still human beings and should be treated with respect.
If we are lucky we all will get old one day.

I would look at the inspectors report but I would also look at the date and what the care home has done to bring it back up to required standards. Apart from that a friendly welcome, happy residents, a clean home and staff that are happy and work as a team. Go back a few times and don't always let first impressions count.

A genuine staff group who greet visitors and residents warmly and follow this through with the same level of care

I definitely look for happy service users...people who already use the service .. I would ask them and their families if they would recommend the home and why. I would ask what the turnover of staff was and whether they may have had most of the same staff for many years. This would make the peop,e living there more at ease and also you would know that the staff have stayed there as they are great staff

Personally I would need some sort of 'night life' lol be it bingo or cards just some sort of somethings to do in the evenings as that is when my brain is most active

Surely happiness in your own skin and your surroundings must be paramount. There has to be good entertainment provision with the stress on continuing to stimulate the brain with like-minded people who will also be your friends.

The most important thing would be how happy and comfortable the residents are. I would want to see how the staff interact with the residents and with each other.

Cleanliness is a major concern - both of the residents themselves and of their surroundings.

Also, I would look at how much choice the residents are given with regard to food, drinks, interests etc. I'd want a wide range of veggie food and lots of different activities to choose from.

Speaking from experience, I look at what the other people residing there are like, if they all have dementia then it may not suit someone who does not have it as they wont be able to talk and interact with them properly. Also what the staff turnover is like, how friendly they are to the residents and what activities are laid on. My aunt is in a home and they have an Elvis impersonator who comes in, they have old Tim singalongs, a petting dog, the local school sings carols to them at Christmas etc. Look for nice bright surroundings and a nice smell on arrival, if it's cooking that's okay but all very important when you are trying to place a loved one somewhere you are happy with

Happy residents, interacting with each other. Not lying in bed, unwashed, uncared for. Cleanliness. The smell.

Facilities to be in a good condition
spacious room
trained caring staff

Firstly I would check which care homes are recommended in my locality. Then check their websites, facilities, charges, and see what is available.

When visiting it's important to trust your instincts about the feel of the home: does it feel homely, are residents involved in activities, chatting together, or just 'plonked' in chairs? Also, does it look a pleasant environment, would you yourself feel happy to live there? Also check the rooms for quality and space, asking whether residents would be able to keep the room they are given.

I would want to speak to staff and also ask relatives and neighbours about their impressions before deciding.

It's such a tough decision to make, and so important to make the right choice.

I think that having a care home that offers independence is important. Also I think it is important that they offer entertainment and activities that cater to all tastes. However the most important factors have to be cleanliness & friendliness.

I think the most important thing is that the staff genuinely care for the residents and want to do all they can for them, backed up by a management team who are willing to offer the support needed for that to be possible. A clean and comfortable living environment is also important, with plenty of opportunities to socialise, and stimulating activities.

It is important to look beyond the shiny exterior that's for sure! I like to see and speak to the residents it is quite easy to see if they are happy and well carer for physically and emotionally. I would expect to see happy and available staff around. I would like to see a range of activities planned throughout the day and people engaging with each other not simply sat alone. I would expect en-suite facilities and a room with enough space, natural light and preferably a decent outlook. I would like a nice outdoor area, patio or gardens when you simply want to sit outside. Food choice and of good quality. Less of an institution with freedom to get up and go to bed as I please. Finally general cleanliness not just in the public areas but all over and it has to smell good, some care homes are just plain awful!

I try and go by word of mouth and how happy the residents look

I think the main things to look for would be: friendly staff who treated the residents with respect, a homely atmosphere where you feel comfortable, a wide choice of good food and plenty of activities to keep you occupied

I would want to be able to take my own things with me, I'd want my own bathroom, adapted to my needs, I'd want to know who my carers are and be treated with respect by them. I'd want my carers to have time to talk to me and get to know me and my ways. I'd want to choose what I eat and have a glass of wine with it! I'd want to be able to watch the birds in the garden and to be able to help keep it tidy. Maybe I'd like to have wheelchair races with my friends! I would NOT want to be subjected to someone else's idea of suitable entertainment and activity.

Caring staff would be a must for me. When you get to that stage of life and you're in a care home you are by default vulnerable and I would want to be surrounded by people who have my best interests at heart. Autonomy and independence of choice would also be very important to me - I would like to decide what I eat and drink, when I have a wash and when I go to bed. You're paying for a service, not in a prison!

For us it's all about the second part of that word Bold: home
As long as it feels like home to them and it has high standards then it should be a good place.