Accepting the fact that your parents are aging can be difficult, but there may come a time when you’re forced to recognise that your parents can no longer support themselves. When that time comes, you may need to begin searching for a registered care home for your parents to move to. These care homes will provide everything your parents need including medical care, healthy meals, and any other assistance they may require. Finding the right registered care home for your loved one may not be easy, however. Here are six tips for finding the best registered care home.
1. Only Make an Appointment the First Time
The first time you visit a care facility, you should make an appointment and ask to be given the full tour. This is a great time to ask questions and learn about the facility. Once you’ve visited all of the care homes on your list, you can use this information to determine which ones your loved one may want to live in.
After you’ve narrowed down your list, you should return to those care homes without calling ahead first. You want to see how things are done when the administration doesn’t expect visitors. Drop in around lunch or dinner time, if you can, to see how meals are served. A good care home will look exactly the same as it did during your scheduled visit.
2. Don’t Judge a Facility by its Décor
While you want your loved one to move into a care home that is clean, neat, and attractive, remember that’s not the only thing you’re looking for. Make sure you learn about the care provided and how residents are treated, which is far more important than how pretty the home is. Don’t be distracted by how the facility looks unless it appears to be dirty or in need of repair.
3. Talk to the Residents
When you visit registered care homes in Bristol or any other location, you should speak not only to the staff but also to some of the residents when staff members are not present. Ask them questions about their care and how the staff treats them. This information can be extremely useful, especially if the resident you’re speaking with has a similar health condition as your loved one.
4. Carefully Read the Contract
It’s very important that you read the entire rental agreement or patient contract and ask questions about anything you do not understand. This contract lists exactly what you’ll be paying for every month, but more importantly, it should also outline some of the things that are not included in the monthly rent. If you have a question about what the basic rates cover, make certain you receive satisfactory answers before you sign any paperwork. Also be sure to note how much notice you need to give if you decide that your loved one needs more advanced care or if the home care facility is not meeting your needs. Some may require you to pay an additional fee if you do not provide them with advance notice.