Moving a loved one into a care home is often an incredibly daunting transition for both the new resident and their families.
No doubt, as the family member of a loved one moving into a care home, you will be keen to know what to expect once they have moved in. Common questions we cover in this article include:
- When will you be able to visit them?
- What happens in the case of a medical emergency?
- How will they be kept entertained?
Read on to find out what you can expect once your loved one has moved into their new care home.
6 Common Relative Concerns...
"Will Mum be introduced to everyone and given a tour around the home? I'm worried that she will get lost in her new surroundings!"
Once your loved one has moved into the care home, the care home team will introduce them to staff and fellow residents at the home to help them feel welcomed and settle into their new environment. This will be done gradually so as to not overwhelm the new resident. Staff will be understanding that your loved one will likely experience a whirlwind of emotions during their first few days at the care home with so much to take in; new surroundings, people and day-to-day routine.
Many homes will organise a key worker for residents who will take an active role in getting to know your loved one and ensuring that they are settling in well at the care home.
During the first few days, residents will be given a guided tour of the care home and will be shown communal areas of the home, outdoor spaces (weather permitting!) and where activities and meals take place. Friends and family are usually welcome to come and help settle their loved ones in and join in on the tours.
"How will Mum be kept entertained? I don't want her to be stuck in her bedroom with nothing to do!"
Your Mum will be invited to participate in the care home’s weekly activities programme. She will be encouraged by staff to join in with the organised activities but they are all completely optional. Care homes will try to include a range of activities that will appeal to the hobbies and interests of all of their residents.
In most cases, care homes will have a dedicated Activities Coordinator who will take ownership of organising the homes’ activities. More often than not, the Activities Coordinator will gather feedback from residents on what activities they would like to see included on the activities calendar.
Care homes tend to invite entertainers into the care home to perform or entertain residents. Many of our partner's care homes receive visits from singers, dancers, animals and schoolchildren to name a few!
Often, care homes will also organise day trips for their residents whether it's a shopping trip, pub trip or museum venture. Some care homes are fortunate enough to have their own minibus!
"I'm used to seeing Mum frequently, will I be able to visit her at the care home whenever I like?"
Each care home will have a visiting policy for friends & relatives of their residents - some may have a walk-in policy where you can pop in whenever you like to visit your Mum whilst others may have a booking system.
Booking systems can vary from home to home so it is important that you check this with the care home prior to your Mum moving in. Many care homes have an online booking portal but others will require you to call or email the home to book a visit with Mum.
It's a great idea to create a schedule with your family prior to Mum moving into the care home. You can arrange who will be giving your Mum a phone call or visit, and taking her out for an outing when which will help to keep your Mum entertained and make the transition into care home life as smooth as possible for her.
"Mum's needs are very complex, will there be opportunities for us to meet with Mum and staff to discuss whether her needs are being met?"
It is more than likely that your Mum's care home will arrange resident & relative meetings where all of you will have the opportunity to express any concerns you may have and review whether Mum's Care Plan needs adjusting to meet her complex needs more effectively. A good care home will understand the importance of working as a team with the resident and their family to ensure that your loved one's needs are being met.
Furthermore, the care home will be experienced in working with a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals to ensure your Mum’s ongoing care needs are being met. You will likely have the opportunity to attend appointments if you so wish.
"What is the procedure if/when Mum has a medical emergency? Will I be informed immediately?"
In the case of a medical emergency, the care home's first course of action will be to call 999 to arrange medical assistance. Once help is on its way, the resident's emergency contacts, which will usually be family members, will be informed via phone. As you can imagine, getting the residents medical help will be their main priority in the case of an emergency.
"Will I still need to take Mum to all of her regular appointments i.e Doctors, Dentists, and Hairdressers?"
This will depend on the care home - some homes will have a Dr, Dentist, Hairdresser etc visit the care home and will give your Mum and you the option of whether you would like to use the services of the professionals who visit. It's worth checking whether using the home's hairdresser etc incurs any additional costs.
Alternatively, you will be able to take your Mum to her existing Doctors etc or you may be able to arrange for someone at the home to take her.