Help for Carers > Care homes

Care homes

Meeting the costs
Care Choices - checklist for choosing a care home
Types of care homes

Some things to consider when thinking about using a care home:

What do we want from a residential care home?

How might we use a care home (e.g. for short breaks or long term care)?

How does the person you care for feel about moving?

How do I feel about using a residential care home?

What are the costs?

How can these be paid?

How easy will it be for me, relatives and friends to visit if we want to?

What support is there for relatives?

Care homes provide care for people who may not be able to live in their own homes independently even with help. Residential homes are run by local authorities, voluntary organisations, companies and private individuals or charitable trusts. Care homes are expected to be registered with the National Care Standards Commission (NCSC) who will categorise and inspect them against national minimum standards:

Choosing a home

Before choosing a home it is a good idea to look at as many as possible. There are many important factors to consider when selecting a home, some of these include:

Location

Fees

The home's atmosphere

Rooms

Food

Social and recreational facilities

Staff attitudes

Vacancies

Paying for care

Residential care is expensive and many people have help from their local authority to pay their fees. If requested, West Sussex Adults' Services (WSCC: Social Care and Health - West Sussex County Council website containing a wealth of information about services and facilities in West Sussex) must offer an assessment of an individual's care needs. Financial help is then given towards paying basic fees if Adults' Services agree residential care is necessary and their criteria about savings and capital are met.

Have a look at our pages on Paying for a care home

There are people who can advise you:

West Sussex Carers Support Services (formerly West Sussex Carers Network) - these services also offer a Relatives Support Service

The Nursing Homes Fees Agency (NHFA)
www.nhfa.co.uk - NHFA provides independent advice on the financial implications of obtaining and paying for care. Produces a range of factsheets available to download from the website

St Leonards House
Mill Street
Eynsham
Oxford OX29 4JX
Freephone 0800 99 88 33
Tel: 01865 733000
Fax: 01865 733001
Email: enquiries@nhfa.co.uk

You can get more information from:

www.ageconcern.org.uk - information and advice section contains a range of factsheets and information sheets on finding and paying for care home accommodation

www.carechoices.co.uk - Publisher of regional care directories and information about care choices

www.caringinfo.com - online searching of supported housing, residential and home care services in West Sussex, including a weekly updated vacancy list, provided by the West Sussex Forum for Independent Providers of Care

www.bettercaring.co.uk - searchable database of care homes and care information

www.counselandcare.org.uk - Counsel and Care for the Elderly

www.housingcare.org - Elderly Accommodation Council

www.helptheaged.org.uk - advice and support section contains information about choosing and paying for a care home

www.nursing-home-directory.co.uk - the Care Directory website contains a wealth of material relating to care and care provision in older age including a thorough directory of care homes and care agencies for West Sussex and surrounding areas.

National information about residential care from Carers UK

There are people who can help:

West Sussex Carers Support Services (formerly West Sussex Carers Network)

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