If the council is paying for your care home
You should be given a care plan by the council, which lets you know your options. The information in your care plan might also help you decide which care home best meets your needs.
You can choose which care home you prefer, as long as the council agrees it:
- meets your needs
- is not more expensive than another suitable care home
If you’re paying for a care home yourself
You will have a lot of options if you are paying for care yourself.
It is very important to do some research to make sure it is the right place to meet all of your needs.
How to find a care home
Your local council adult social care services can give you information about care homes in your area.
You can also log on to housingcare.org and type in the area code where you are looking. This will advice you of all the options
There is also a great website called www.carehome.co.uk which has a feedback system allowing you to see what people think of each home.
How to decide if a care home is right for you
Things to consider before choosing a care home:
1. Location– for example, do you want to be near your family or local shops?
2. Price
3. What services and activities they offer
4. How flexible they are about going out on your own or with help
Signs of a good care home include:
- Friendly staff and managers with the right skills and experience to do their jobs sympathetically
- clean entrance hall, rooms and bathrooms
- a wide range of activities for residents in the home and outside
- good quality food choices and possible options about where to eat meals
- fast and easy access to health professionals, such as GPs and dentists
- the care home makes sure any cultural, religious or lifestyle needs are met
- feedback from residents is asked for and used to improve care
How to research a care home
To get more information about any care home you can:
- Call them
- Look at their website
- Ask for a brochure
- Visit the care home
- Request a temporary stay
There are also organisations that inspect care homes to see how well they are doing.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates all health and adult social care in England.
You might see a CQC inspection rating when you visit a care home or search online. Their 4 ratings are:
- Outstanding
- Good
- Requires improvement
- Inadequate
You could also search for care homes on the CQC website to see their full reports.
How to plan your move into a care home
Before you move, it may help to:
- ask family or friends to help you move and settle you in
- contact the benefits office, if you have one (including disability benefits, as these can be affected by care home stays)
- make sure other services at your old address have been told you are moving
- let friends and family know your new address and when you might feel up to receiving visitors
- let the care home know about any health problems or disabilities you have
Complaining about a care home
You may need to make a complaint about a care home if you are not happy with the quality of care you or someone you know is receiving.
Firstly speak to the care home operator or manager
All care homes should have a way to listen to your feedback and complaints. This may be enough to help resolve the problem.
If you are not happy with the care home’s response
Contact your local council directly if they are funding your care home.
If you’re not happy with the council or care home’s response
Contact your Local Government Ombudsman. They investigate all adult social care complaints. It does not matter if you are paying for the care home yourself or it is council funded.
If you need someone to speak up for you
You can request the help of an advocates to speak up for you.
Your council has to provide an advocate if you do not have family or friends to help and you have difficulty:
- understanding and remembering information
- communicating your views
- understanding the pros and cons of different options
A paid carer cannot act as an advocate for you.
Advocates can help with things like:
- writing letters or attending meetings for you
- supporting you during assessments and other meetings
- helping you make decisions
Advocates will support you during:
- assessments
- care and support planning
- safeguarding and reviews
Advocates are independent of social services and the NHS.
Contact social services at your local council and ask about advocacy services. Find your local social services.
Other options are-
POhWER is a charity that helps people to be involved in decisions being made about their care. Call POhWER’s support centre on 0300 456 2370 for advice.
SeAp Advocacy gives advocacy support. Call 0330 440 9000 for advice or text SEAP to 80800 and someone will get back to you.
VoiceAbility gives advocacy support. Call 01223 555800 for advice or find the phone number for your local VoiceAbility service.
Contact the charity Age UK to see if they have advocates in your area. Contact Age UK online or call 0800 055 6112.
Telephone help for care homes
If you want to talk to someone about making care home decisions, call:
- Age UK on 0800 055 6112 (for older people)
- Carers Direct on 0300 123 1053 (if you care for someone else)
Read about other helplines and forums for social care and support