How to re-create a home in a care home?

[Otto]

Hi TP,
i'm beginning to think that i'll have to accept that my sister might have to go into an EMI care home.

Do you think it might be possible to buy a 'large room' in a care home and re-create my sister's lounge? She spends most of her time in her own home in her lounge which isn't very big but is very cosy with lots of personal effects.

In all the care homes i've visited the rooms are small and confined although i have seen many attempts to include odd items of home furniture.

is this a possibility in an EMI care home?

 

[sistermillicent]

I have looked at quite a few lately and not seen any with huge rooms, but will pm you with the one that had the biggest, you pay more but still.....

 

[Max's mom]

Hello Otto
What a good idea to try to recreate the lounge in a care home. Of course it will depend on you finding a home that you like with a large enough room.
Some homes have 'double rooms' (which are mostly not used as shared any longer because not many people want to share) and are now being classed as 'premier' rooms. As stated in the above thread you may have to pay more but if you feel this would help then it may be something to consider.
Jayne x

 

[wispa]

Hi Otto

I visited 16 care homes in two days when I was searching for a suitable EMI Residential Care Home for my Mum this year.

From the 16 I visited there was one that had rooms as you decribe, one particular ladies room was shown to me even though it wasn't available, simply because it was such a home from home!

It was fantastic and was about the size of a large living room, it was laid out beautifully, with a bed to one side in the corner, whilst the rest of the room was set out with a small sofa, a TV, a nest of tables, a cabinet FULL of ornaments, and my favourite ......a small fridge (the kind used for lager!) containing a bottle of wine and some Baileys Irish Cream! The whole thing was very much a home from home!

Unfortunately as someone else said the home did have a sliding scale charge for rooms based on their size.

The down side for me was the home was quite large (approx. 45 residents) and was run by a large concern that has a number of homes across the country, rightly or wrongly I thought the size of the home would mean the Staff would be less likely to get to know my Mum, and would possibly not care for her in quite the same friendly way a small home would do?

I would guess that only the larger concerns have access to the purpose built buildings that could accomodate such large rooms and unfortunately out of all the homes I visited only this one had such large rooms.

But......as much as I was really impressed with the larger home I chose a smaller and what felt like a much friendlier home for my Mum.

So many people have spoken on TP about going with your gut feeling and visiting as many homes as you can to get a feel for them and that pretty much sums it up.

I would have liked to have put all the things I liked about the various homes into one, but as that wasn't possible there had to be some sacrifices on the list!

X

 

[lemoncrunch]

My mum will be going into a care home next week. Apparently they have a bigger room available for her and the manager is ringing today with more details. I'm sure it will be more expensive. I was wondering about taking my mother's favourite armchair but on the other hand, if it is there, she will just sit in it all day feeling sorry for herself. Without the chair, she will have to join the others.

The care home has 15 residents and I got on really well with the manager so will be guided by her. They are dealing with this every day and so have lots of experience

 

[susana53]

Yes there are homes with nice big rooms where you can take your own furniture, but they are few and far between. They may be charged at a higher rate if they can be classed as doubles. One home that I go to, one of the ladies has a lovely sized room and is filled with her own stuff, including her piano.

 

[Otto]

Thank you all for your kind help and suggestions.

Sistermillicent, thank you for your PM but the organisation you refer to doesn't have a home in my sister's area.

I don't understand why there are not more homes for those who can afford premier level care. I would have thought that there would be a proportionate number of premier care homes similar say to private schools compared to state schools. But from what I read "luxury homes" seem to have acquired a bad name as many are very commercially geared as they are answerable to shareholders. Also they tend to be large and soulless and resemble hotels. Is this because the need for EMI care is relatively new?

I am not looking for a corporate style care home. I have a vision in my mind of a small privately run, well established home in a rural setting - but with rooms large enough to accommodate my sister's belongings - all the things she holds so dear.

Susana, you have given me some hope regarding double rooms. My sister has a piano too, she can't play any more but she thinks she can. I'm glad in a way that she doesn't try.

 

[longacre]

We had our father in an EMI home entirely furnished with his things. He had his piano there and played it right until the very end last year when he died suddenly. It gave him, and us great joy but also great sadness. He played by ear so never read music and his ability to play never went. The home were wonderful and we measured the room to make sure we could get everything in. It wasnt huge but it was very much his home. Our mother has just gone into a home a few weeks ago - not EMI - and we are waiting for what they call a suite which has a bedroom and sitting room next door. We will then move in all her furniture including a sofa etc so it will b like a small flat in the care home. Yes you do pay more but....they do exist. Good luck.

 

[Teasel]

Not in your area I know, but there are care homes, such as one company in Southport, that cater for the higher end of the market. In the course of my job I had to visit one, and it was complete with antiques, chandaliers, oriental rugs... the lot. But it was not cheap!

My mum is in a modern care home with around 40 plus other residents which is run by one of the large companies, but I have to say that the staff there are relatively permanent, and although there are some foreign nationals working there (potential language difficulties with confused residents), they are all lovely, dedicated and patient people, and my mum is well looked after. One particular care work from middle Europe treats my mum as if she was her own!

This particular home also allows personal effects and home furniture if it fits in the room.

Good luck in your selection.

Helen x

 

[Meercat]

What a lovely idea Otto. I'm sure in time you will find the right place for your sister.

As mentioned before you will get a 'feel' for the right place and the size of the room may not be the determining factor. If small it will be tricky choosing pieces you think will help your sister settle in but remember it's sometimes the small niknaks that make a home - photos, momentos, pictures and ornaments.

Goodluck in your search

Meercat