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

Cleanliness
Staff friendliness
On-site activities/facilities
Talk to residents re. staff care - are they happy?
Varied daily food menu/standard of food?
Visiting hours suitable?
Close proximity
Look at private and communal facilities, i.e. is there a TV in rooms without having to visit a communal lounge?

Clean, welcoming, activities, no tv blaring, quiet private places, trust your judgement/gut feeling.

To be honest for us it is all about as much independence as possible whilst needs are being met! That sums it up really. Obviously, clean and orderly with nice cheerful staff x

I look passed the care commision reports and go with my gut instinct, the way the staff treat the residents, size and decor of room and whether they feel like home. What activities and facilities are on offer and most importantly if the residents already there look happy, clean and feel at home.

1. The atmosphere, 2. ask residents if they like it and if they're happy, 3. ask the staff about routines and avalibilty of nursing, 4. surroundings and facilties

A good pointer is how the residents look and behave - are they happy? Are they wearing clothes that are clean and tidy? Remember to talk to residents as well as staff when you visit, and if it's allowed see how staff and residents interact at mealtimes.

I look for somewhere who have the time and patience to welcome us and show us around as often as is needed and I want to feel comfortable

Focus on individualisation, a high level of permanent staff and a good manager.

Cleanliness
Staff who do actually care
Activities for the residents
Days out

When looking for a care home for my mother with alzeheimers we looked for a home where the staff understood her needs. Also where the staff seemed happy and friendly and had time to spend with the residents. A home where you could visit at anytime and could contact them at anytime. A home that had a good atmosphere and where residents looked well cared for.

I look for good reviews/word of mouth reputation. Open visiting. How the residents look. Comfort level across the entire home. Activities, outings and visits on offer. Type of food. Can you try before you buy? Kitchenettes/tea making facilities if residents are competent to do so. Working conditions, training of staff. Clean, fresh smell. Ability to decorate their own room and furnish it themselves if they wish. The amount of autonomy eg. have a sandwich instead of the meal, tea when want and how they want, own bedtimes etc.

I lok for professionality, cleanliness, a freindly relaxed environment and lots of nature, suhc as flowers in the garden, trees and lots of green space and places to sit outside.

Cleanliness, caring staff, activities, near family for visits

Compassion and making time for individuals and understanding their needs. Cleanliness - I visited several that were smelly and the properties unloved or not maintained properly. Health and Safety fully in place. I think I could write a book on care homes. Needless to say you need to research very thoroughly and if possible talk to other relatives of residents and try and establish unbiased views before making any decisions about where loved ones are to stay.

Somewhere that looks clean and well cared for and the same goes for the residents. Somewhere with nothing to hide and lets you visit anytime etc.

Activities
Minibus to take residents out for an hour or two Eg garden centre
Volunteers welcome
Personal choices available eg bedtime etc

Cleanliness, the amount of care homes that I have been in with work (I work for the emergency services) that smell of urine is unbelievable. I think that the smell shows that the residents aren't being taken care of.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS- If it's clean, doesn't smell bad, if the residents look happy

STAFF- If they speak your language well, if they are welcoming and interested, I would check the ratio of staff to residents and that there was a senior manager on at all times, as well as checking the staff qualifications.

IN GENERAL- Check that I would be allowed to visit at any time, that they have enough social activities to participate in and that they don't have to stick to a rigid routine. See sample menus and visit at mealtime to see whether food quality/portion size is adequate.

Clean, a home from home and friendly staff that do not treat you like a child

has to be clean, staff friendliness, facilities, interaction,

I would certainly look for cleanliness, in both the home itself and also the residents. The staff should be caring, and the place open to visits at any time. I would worry if there were restrictions on something like that. The only way to see if the other residents are happy is to talk to them :-) You have to look at every single aspect of life there before making such a momentous decision.

It's clean, has a good atmosphere with kind staff. If the residents seem happy then something is going well, and they look well cared for, clean and well fed/nourished.

That the people living there are happy, that the staff care and that their report is good

Cqc rating, regular staff who are happy, hands on management, stimulation, care, and attention

If I ever used one then it would have to be a nice, happy environment, clean, friendly & caring staff...