Tips On Choosing The Right Care Home For Your Elderly Parent

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With the passing of time comes the need for change.

Where once your parents looked after you as a child, seeing you through your infant years, the troublesome teen phase, and your entry into adult life, the roles will one day become reversed. There might be a time when you have to become the caregiver, giving your parents the same love and attention that they afforded you when you were younger. And as you take on a more caring role, you will have to consider the options available to you, one of which might be to find a care home for your parent.

You see, while your parents could live at home with you, and while their home could be adapted to cater for their needs, the best course of action might be to find 24/7 care if they aren't able to look after themselves any more. It's difficult to think about, but it's true for so many of us. And if this is the case for you, or if it could one day be the right option, here are some tips to help you find the right care home for your parent.



#1: Understand your parent's needs

Firstly, consider the type of care home that might be right for your parent. There are two types you need to be aware of, and one will be more suited than the other. We are thinking specifically about residential care homes and nursing homes.

Both offer accommodation and personal care, but nursing homes provide specialist health care to the elderly, with a focus on specific conditions such as dementia and Parkinson's Disease. You can find out more about the differences here.

By knowing the type of home more suited to your parent's needs, you will be able to narrow down your choices.

#2: Consider the costs involved

Depending on where you live, residential fees differ, and different care homes might charge more, especially if they are within the private sector. So, when choosing the right care home for your parent, this is something you need to take into account when doing your research. While you could contribute to the care costs of your parent, it might be that your parent has savings that will pay for the necessary fees themselves, so you need to have a discussion with your parent to find out more about their specific situation. However, if they fall below a certain financial threshold, or if they have any specific medical needs, then there might be no cost to them or you at all. The Money Advice Service has some useful information as a guideline to help you.

#3: Research available care homes

When you have worked out your parent's specific needs, and when you know what the financial situation will be, you will then be in a better position to research the homes local to you. You should do this in two ways. Firstly, use this handy search tool, and with your parent, look at the available homes near to you. You can normally learn a lot about a home by the testimonials on the website, the pictures available to view, and the information about the services they provide.

You should then do a Google search for local news stories that might alert you to any problems. As has been highlighted on the news, some homes have garnered a bad reputation for the care of their clients, and have necessitated the need for a nursing home abuse attorney to deal with extreme problems. While these cases are rare, you should still investigate for the sake of your parent.

Then visit the care homes near you, as you can usually learn a lot about a place by stepping foot inside, meeting staff and residents, and checking for such things as cleanliness and the overall mood of the people living there. Use this checklist provided by Age UK to guide your decision.

Finally

Finding the right place for your parent to live might be tough, but talk with them about what it is they require, and together, take your time to explore the best options available. Just remember to visit your parent regularly once they have moved in, and bring their grandchildren too, as no matter how nice the care home is, having your family around will truly make them feel at home.

We hope this article has been useful to you, but let us know. And if you have any other tips for our readers, please share your ideas with us.