Choosing a Care Home Input Please
- Thread starter fullmoon
- Start date
I looked at both purpose built and converted buildings for my mother.
The primary concern to me was quality of care and support for my mother.
I went with a purpose built which is absolutely wonderful the entire care team are fabulous and keep me up to date on how mother is getting on(I sometimes feel like checking myself in for a break
.
To me the benefits of purpose built are
accessibility and ease of movement - Zimmer frame users (as my mother is now) don't do well in a conversion as there can often be little half landings and stairs in the wrong place;
easier to keep clean and keep looking clean (mother was VERY house proud in her day) in that there are fewer nooks and crannies;
dementia aware design - mirrors are positioned in such a way that should hallucinations and paranoia around reflections begin (my mother doesn't always recognise herself and sometimes worries about the lost old lady she just saw who then walked off) they can either be removed or hidden;
fair distribution of space - no one has the best room and no one is stuck in the bad room - everyone gets the same size room with the right facilities built into the specification;
better facilities - en-suites help to protect the dignity and privacy of the residents
economies of scale - in that the financial turnover is sufficient to provide a broader range of activities like mini bus outings and the like.
Also because it looks like an hotel mother can think of it as an hotel - although occasionally she thinks it's a cruise ship.
Having said all this it's a very personal decision and only you know what is best for your mother.
Best of luck with your decision and the future.
eomr
The primary concern to me was quality of care and support for my mother.
I went with a purpose built which is absolutely wonderful the entire care team are fabulous and keep me up to date on how mother is getting on(I sometimes feel like checking myself in for a break
. To me the benefits of purpose built are
accessibility and ease of movement - Zimmer frame users (as my mother is now) don't do well in a conversion as there can often be little half landings and stairs in the wrong place;
easier to keep clean and keep looking clean (mother was VERY house proud in her day) in that there are fewer nooks and crannies;
dementia aware design - mirrors are positioned in such a way that should hallucinations and paranoia around reflections begin (my mother doesn't always recognise herself and sometimes worries about the lost old lady she just saw who then walked off) they can either be removed or hidden;
fair distribution of space - no one has the best room and no one is stuck in the bad room - everyone gets the same size room with the right facilities built into the specification;
better facilities - en-suites help to protect the dignity and privacy of the residents
economies of scale - in that the financial turnover is sufficient to provide a broader range of activities like mini bus outings and the like.
Also because it looks like an hotel mother can think of it as an hotel - although occasionally she thinks it's a cruise ship.
Having said all this it's a very personal decision and only you know what is best for your mother.
Best of luck with your decision and the future.
eomr
