Site guide
Care homes
Meeting the costsCare 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?
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:
www.carestandards.org.uk - An independent public body set up to regulate social care and private and voluntary health care services throughout England.
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
- Vacancies
- The home's atmosphere
- Rooms
- Food
- Social and recreational facilities
- Fees
- Staff attitudes
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 NetworkThe 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
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 accommodationwww.carechoices.co.uk - Provides a guide to care services in West Sussex
www.caringinfo.com - The Care Services Resource Centre for older people in West Sussex with information on care homes
www.bettercaring.co.uk - Search for residential and nursing homes across the country and view advice from the Stationary Office
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 inclusing 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 Network
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If you are having trouble finding the information you need on this website you could try using one of the following search options:Local Search
You can use this facility to search the Carers Online database for organisations in West Sussex that may be able to help you.
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