What Do People Look for in a Care Home?

When someone looks for a care home for themselves or for a loved one, some of the attributes they search for are obvious. For example, they need a care home that’s relatively close to their home, so that family can visit.

But not all of these attributes are obvious.

Cleanliness, adherence to the NHS standards for care homes, or the CQC seal of approval are also important — although not many people know exactly what those standards are. Read on about the less obvious things that potential residents and their loved ones look for in a care home.

Top Things Visitors Notice in a Care Home

If you want to attract more residents and to have a good ongoing relationship with the families of the current residents, you need to make sure that you leave a good impression at every visit. Of course, the way you treat your residents matters the most. But, in the case of cognitively-impaired residents, the family’s intuition may weigh more.

Here are a few things to consider in order to keep your residents and their families happy:

1. The Care You Offer Should Be Evidently Person-Centered

This may seem a bit counter-intuitive — after all, you care for persons, so your care is person-centered. According to The Alzheimer’s Society, person-centered care means much more:

• Treating each person with care and respect.

• Looking at every situation from the perspective of a person with dementia.

• Taking the time to understand every person: their history, their needs, their preferences, their hobbies, and so on.

• Making sure that each person has the chance to socialise and spend time with other people.

• Ensuring that every person can take part in new activities and activities that they enjoy.

2. Provide a Comfortable Environment for Your Residents

During the first visit (and all teh subsequent ones), the (potential) resident and their family will look around as much as possible. Moreover, they will sit down to chat for a while.

This is where the importance of good care home furniture comes into play.

The visitors need to see that their loved ones can sit or lie down in bed comfortably. If it’s their first visit, they will definitely evaluate the chairs and sofas themselves.

Since they will spend some time in your care home before making a decision, they will also be able to see how comfortable the current residents feel. While it’s hard to put it into words, you can immediately notice when someone sits uncomfortably or feels uneasy.

This is why all of your pieces of furniture should be ready to meet their expectations. Yes, this includes visitors’ chairs as well. During the first visit, make sure that the potential resident can sit on a chair or sofa that fits their mobility issues (if any) and that the people accompanying them sit in regular, but comfortable chairs.

3. Create a Home-Like Environment

This is a place where people come to live. Besides comfort, they also need to feel at home.

A hotel, for example, can be very comfortable. But it will never feel like a home.

Thus, avoid hotel-like reception desks and common areas. Opt for homely touches instead, comfortable and cozy furniture, as well as soft furnishings (curtains and rugs) that you would usually find in a residential home.

Stern spaces, bland colours, or ultra-modern furniture may look chic, but they are not homely enough to fit a care home. Similarly, hoists, other mobility aids, and various other medical equipment in a care home should be stored properly when not in use. Otherwise, the entire home may feel too much like a hospital.

4. Work on Constantly Improving Your Residents’ Wellbeing and Happiness

This is one of the things that potential residents and their families can “feel” right away, as soon as they set foot in your care home. They will immediately notice if your residents are happy or not.

To enhance their happiness, you can:

• Encourage them to do as many things on their own as possible — this leads to a feeling of accomplishment, improves their mood, and delays cognitive decay.

• Speak to your residents respectfully, caringly, and in a way that they respond to — soothing tones of voice usually help.

• Make sure that your residents are properly dressed at all times.

• Encourage them to engage in various activities, especially some that include socialising: team projects, games, themed evenings, and so on.

Summary

Caring for the elderly is not an easy task — we know that. But people entrust their lives (or the lives of their loved ones) to you, so it’s important that they feel secure and cared for from day one.

Small details can make a huge difference. The furniture you choose, the way you speak to your residents, and their general state are things that can be noticed right away, so it’s important you work on improving them constantly.