Assessment at home for Care Home

[Tilly13]

Hello I wonder if anyone else has had the experience of an Assessment for a Care Home for their PWD.
After a lot of research and visits I have found a home which I think and hope will give my parents safety and security along with less anxiety and hopefully they will settle and be happy.
Tomorrow my parents ( both have Dementia ) are having a visit from a Care Home Manager - I will be there too.
My parents aren't able to make the decision about going into a Care Home and although I am finding it a difficult decision I do realise now is the right time. Their Psychiatrist now says they need more support and the social interactions will benefit them.
We've had Carers at home since March
I've provided info on their medications , a little info on their professional lives / hobbies and about their conditions as I was asked to.
Does anyone know what they might be asked and what the Manager will be looking for?
Thanks

 

[MartinWL]

I expect he will want to know the basics:
-incontinence
-mobility
-behaviour
- abilities e. g Wasing dressing

 

[canary]

Basically, the care home wants to know what their needs are so that, firstly, they want to make sure they can meet these needs and, secondly, so that they can put together a care plan for when they move there. Obviously, the care home can refine this plan, but they want to have an idea of what help and support is needed. The assessor wants to make sure that this care home will be a good match

Please make sure that the person who is assessing them is aware of exactly what they are like - particularly if there is any challenging behaviour. You do not want them to move, only for the care home to turn round in a couple of weeks and say that they cannot meet their needs and you have to find somewhere else.

 

[Yankeeabroad]

My parents are in the US and the insurance companies often do an assessment at home.

These assessors try to gage the type of cognitive difficulties (short term/ long term memory loss, aggressive behaviours, wandering, etc.) and how aware the person is about their dementia and needing help. They also gage the ability to do the Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) . They may also ask you about personality traits — social or introvert, what they like to do, importance of nature, etc. Seeing them at home also allows the care home to see how they live normally and how they act in a comfortable environment.

I tried to be a non participant in the ones I sat in on.

 

[thistlejak]

We were in a slightly different position, as MIL had quite challenging behaviour, but we were advised to be totally frank about her behaviour etc to the nursing homes we were looking at - this was so that they could assess if they were able to meet her needs. Our preferred home would accept her and she is very settled there - they even managed to get her bathed and hair washed , something we hadn't achieved in more than 2 years.
Basically they want to make sure the home and your parents are a good fit to save having to move them later on.
One thing we were advised is to ask what behaviour they will not accept.

 

[Tilly13]

Thank you for taking the time to reply - all really helpful.

 

[Tilly13]

Just now need to think of how to introduce the Care Home Manager without causing my parents lots of anxiety .....

 

[thistlejak]

Just a though - as they already have carers in could he/she be 'checking up on the carers'

 

[Violet Jane]

The manager will also want to find out if they have any medical problems other than the dementia and if they require any care which is classed as nursing care (e.g. wound care of ulcerated legs).

 

[Tilly13]

Thank you

 

[Sarasa]

Hi @Tilly13 , when my mum was assessed for her care home I introduced them as a couple of friends who happened to be visiting the area and sometimes knew I was there visiting my mum. So they just phoned on the off chance I was there.
Mum was fine with it and treated them to her best hostess mode. They had a bit of a shock when she actually moved there, but I had warned them that she could be volatile to say the least.

 

[Tilly13]

Thank you @Sarasa that could be a good plan along with talking about the Carers @thistlejak
My Mum has had months of being anxious , agitated , very low mood , talking about wanting to die , concerns about a nasty man in the house, not recognising her home etc etc but without any medication changes she has suddenly become calmer , no crying and much more ' on the ball ' -and yes hostess mode will most certainly kick in.....

 

[Jaded'n'faded]

I expect both your parents will be on their best behaviour when a stranger calls to talk to them...

Just make sure the CH manager gets a full picture. My advice would be to do a written bullet list of what each parent is like, what they struggle with, how compliant they are with personal care, etc, and give that to the manager, in case your parents present as not needing any help!

 

[Tilly13]

Hehehe - were in the same room @Jaded'n'faded ?????

The Manager treated it very much as a social visit.

Mum asked some great questions and you might have thought that all was good - Dementia - what dementia ?
How many other people live there ? What would happen with their house (which she usually says isn't hers )?
When could they go ?
Can they go and look around as she'd like to see it ?
When the manager had gone she said do we know how much this might cost ? But she was very positive.

I do most certainly think your idea of bullet points is a good one , the Manager did get very animated parents today- yesterday Dad spent most of the time asleep and when Mum tried to rouse him he told her in no uncertain way to 'shut up '!

I had thought that my parents were not going to be making a choice themselves as really there is no choice...I've visited various homes and this was one of the best for them .

 

[Tealy]

Hello I wonder if anyone else has had the experience of an Assessment for a Care Home for their PWD.
After a lot of research and visits I have found a home which I think and hope will give my parents safety and security along with less anxiety and hopefully they will settle and be happy.
Tomorrow my parents ( both have Dementia ) are having a visit from a Care Home Manager - I will be there too.
My parents aren't able to make the decision about going into a Care Home and although I am finding it a difficult decision I do realise now is the right time. Their Psychiatrist now says they need more support and the social interactions will benefit them.
We've had Carers at home since March
I've provided info on their medications , a little info on their professional lives / hobbies and about their conditions as I was asked to.
Does anyone know what they might be asked and what the Manager will be looking for?
Thanks

Hi
I found that they were really understanding and soon put me and mum at ease.
Mum has been in 2 homes now.
The recent one she has been in for 2 years now.
Both managers showed integrity and empathy.
I was nervous but realised they weren't trying to interview me but get a feeling of mum's problems xx

 

[Tilly13]

Thanks @Tealy
Yes the assessment went well - Manager was fab and my parents liked him .