How To Choose The Best Care Home

Looking for a care home for a loved relative is a daunting task and entering the world of ‘social care’, often for the first time, needs some support and advice.

This brief guide on how to choose the best care home for your relative will help you to make the right decisions.

Care homes in England are categorised according to a star rating system from 0 to 3 stars. The top rating a care home can achieve is 3 stars, this does not relate to its fees – it reflects the quality of their service. View a list of the best care homes in England.

If you are paying for care yourself it is widely accepted that you receive very little support or advice from Social Services – however- you are entitled to an ‘assessment of needs’ both for your relative and yourself if you are caring for them.

An assessment of need will help you evaluate what level of care your relative may require - Are you sure you need a care home? will give you some preliminary advice.

If you believe that a care home is the right option for your relative, print off Questions to ask a care home to make sure you ask the most relevant questions.

Do not forget that moving into a care home can be a traumatic experience, take some time to prepare for the move.