Finding a care home for a family member or loved-one can be time-consuming, confusing, and stressful. There are lots of factors to consider, a sense of pressure to find the ‘right’ place, plus an often-overwhelming sense of guilt attached to the entire process.

At Arlington House we understand the dilemma facing our residents’ family members and have devised this blog to help anyone needing to look for a care home. We hope it will provide some clarity, reassurance, and support at a difficult and emotional time in your life.

Where to start?

There is no magic formula to finding the right care home, but here are some tips to get you started and to ensure your search for a care home is thorough, informative, and fruitful.

1. Category of care – if you feel your family member requires 24/7 care, a good starting point is to contact the Adult Social Care team at your local council. They will be able to assess what type of care may be required and crucially advise on whether state funding may be available or whether the care would need to be privately funded.
2. Home ownership – around 90% of the care home market is privately owned. Out of this, there are 5 big companies (which are mainly private equity owned) that account for approximately 10% of the care homes in the UK. The rest of the market is made up from one-home family-run businesses, to smaller groups of homes, to niche/specialist centres of care. The key here is to see which one feels right. Like with most purchases, many people prefer dealing with the big players who offer the full trimmings, whereas others prefer a smaller, bespoke setting that comes with the personal touch. Regardless of the size and scale of the business, the Home Manager plays a big part, so it’s always wise to meet them before making your decision. For smaller homes, you may also get the benefit of meeting the owners – which can give added reassurance.
3. Type of building – there is a huge variance in this area, from renovated older properties through to purpose-built modern care homes, which can look like impressive large hotels. Again, personal preference is vital, but the needs of the resident should also be factored in at this stage i.e., if a resident is mobile, it’s important for them to have ample internal and external spaces where they can walk about freely and easily, or if a resident prefers quiet areas, homes with multiple communal spaces may be preferable.
4. Location – it’s always handy to have the care home nearby for any ad-hoc pop-ins, but quality should always be the overriding factor. If you must travel slightly further to a better care home, chances are you won’t regret it.
5. Fees – when it comes to fees there are two key areas to check thoroughly:
   • What is covered? A care home’s fees should always cover accommodation, care-package, food, laundry, and activities. Other items such as hairdressing, toiletries, dry-cleaning etc will often be charged as extra.
   • Does the home charge a ‘top-up’? A top-up is the difference in price that the local council is willing to pay for the bed in question and the end amount charged to the customer. A home can charge a top-up for a multitude of reasons i.e., size of room, en-suite facilities, quality of home etc.

The most important thing with fees is the care home should be transparent about what is covered, and any top-up involved. It’s critical to weigh up cost versus quality of a care home to ensure you are getting value for money. Also, when viewing homes, you should always seek full clarity in their fee structure – as many care homes have an ambivalent pricing structure.

6. Care, activities, and food – these are the three most important functions of any care home and as a result, you should fully understand the steps in place to ensure your loved one remains safe, enjoys a nutritious diet, and is engaged/stimulated daily. Any competent Home Manager will be able to discuss this area in more detail i.e., show weekly menus, list of activities etc.
7. Gut feel – never underestimate this element of choosing a care home. If it doesn’t feel right, chances are it’s not right! Remember any care home could be having a bad day on your visit, so try to see beyond this. Do staff members look engaged? Does the Manager (or the owners) take the time to meet you? Does the home smell clean and feel well-maintained? Do residents look happy? They may seem like small points, but it all adds up to your loved one finding the right place.

What makes Arlington House unique?

 Arlington House is a boutique care home with just 25 bedrooms, and we pride ourselves on helping new residents to find the right care home. We are under no illusion that Arlington House is right for everyone, so we take the time to understand a new resident’s needs to ensure it is a good fit for both parties. We encourage customers to see as many homes as possible before making their final choice.

We also operate in an open and transparent manner. Our fees are aligned with Warrington Borough Council’s rates, and top-ups are dependent on the room chosen. Our fees include a full care package, all meals/snacks/drinks, activities, laundry, and branded toiletries. The only extra fees are hairdressing (which is done by a professional stylist every 2 weeks), chiropody and any other ‘hotel services’ such as newspapers or dry cleaning.

Our Manager and Deputy Manager are always on hand and will guide you through the full process, clarify our fee structure and answer any queries you may have. We’re confident that if you are looking for a small family-run, boutique care home – you’ll be impressed with Arlington House.

For anyone currently looking for a care home, please contact us on 01925 267576 and we look forward to offering support and guidance at what is usually a stressful and emotional time for the entire family.