SAGA — Doing things properly

Whether a care home is run by the Local Authority, a voluntary organisation or a private company, it has to be registered and inspected twice a year to ensure it meets the standards defined by the Government.

There are 38 standards, which cover all aspects of living in a care home including:

• How people are looked after
• How their money and medicines are handled
• Their right to privacy and dignity
• The physical environment, such as heating and lighting
• Standards of meals, activities and staff.

There also has to be a complaints procedure so that, if anything is wrong, it can be put right. You can obtain a copy of the inspection report for any particular home from your care standards authority.

• A place is available
• The home is suitable for your assessed needs
• It is run according to the Local Authority's conditions
• It does not charge more to care for your needs than the Local Authority would expect to pay.

If you are moving further afield, you will be able to get information from your care standards authority, or your local library may have directories of care homes nationally. The internet is a good source of information if you, or someone you know, has access to it. You could also try asking around, as your doctor, social worker, friends or relatives may be aware of some good homes. Personal recommendation can be very valuable, but don't forget that it's your needs that matter, and what suits someone else isn't necessarily right for you. If you are required to pay for your own care and your chosen home is above the levels that the Local Authority will pay, it is important to consider long–term affordability should you require Local Authority funding in the future. Saga's team of specialist advisers can help you assess the long–term affordability of your chosen home by helping to determine your total income and expenditure, including applicable state benefits, and the various options available to ensure you make best use of your assets.

Reading them will give you an idea of what the home is like, and help you make a shortlist of those you’d like to visit. It will also help you identify the considerations that are most important to you. Once you’ve decided which ones you’d like to visit, make an appointment and try to take along a friend or relative for a second opinion. Before you go, think about any questions you’d like to ask and try to visit a few before making up your mind. If you are planning to give up your house and move into a care home, don’t make a hasty decision. When you have found what you think is the right home, consider arranging a trial period there. You could possibly book a short stay of a few weeks and then return home to consider your decision. Alternatively, arrange to move into the home on the understanding that the first four weeks are to be a trial period and that, if you are not happy at the end of this time, you can leave giving a week’s notice. Once you are confident that you will be comfortable with the home you have chosen, ensure that you have a written agreement about the terms of care you are buying. If you make your own arrangements, obtain a contract or resident’s agreement before you make a commitment to stay. This should confirm exactly what you will be paying and what that charge covers. You will also need to be clear about any extra costs and how and when the price will be reviewed.