The following points will help you to choose a suitable facility:
” Information: ask for brochures, price lists, care concepts and the house rules of the homes you are considering.
” Personal requirements: What requirements should the home absolutely fulfill – for example, should it be in the vicinity of your current home, allow pets or your own furniture, have a garden or offer certain cultural, social and religious activities? Create a checklist for a better overview.
” Need for care: Ask whether a care place is guaranteed if your state of health deteriorates.
” Appearance: Take a look at the home – not just the entrance hall, but also the living areas, dining rooms and nursing department. Also visit other homes and compare.
” Residents: Visit the home unannounced and, if possible, talk to the residents or their relatives. What impression do the residents make on you? Are they well cared for, do they occupy themselves according to their abilities and inclinations or do they sit apathetically in the corner?
” Atmosphere: Try to capture the atmosphere of the home. Do the staff seem friendly or do they make a rushed impression?
” Staff: Find out how many staff are available and how high the proportion of qualified nursing staff is. In good homes, the proportion of specialist staff should be at least 50 percent. Are the staff trained in dementia? If so, how and by whom? Also ask how many staff are present at night and at weekends. If you can see the duty rosters: Is more staff allocated for peak times during the day (breakfast to midday)? Who is notified in an emergency?
” Daily routine: Have the daily routine described to you. What are the elderly allowed to do themselves? Active, supportive care is usually more time-consuming, which is why the elderly are often not allowed to do anything on their own. This encourages a lack of independence.
” Meal plan: Ask to see the menu. Do the dishes meet your requirements? How many menus are there to choose from?
” Leisure activities: What are the leisure activities on offer for the residents? Are there communal activities such as singing, painting or dancing?
” Therapies: Check the therapeutic activities on offer. For example, is there gymnastics or swimming?
” Medical care: What is the medical care like – is it possible for the family doctor to provide further care? Do the nursing staff carry out the doctor’s orders?
” Infrastructure: What is the infrastructure like, are there shopping facilities, pharmacies or hairdressers nearby?
” Representation of interests: Is there a home advisory board or a relatives’ advisory board? This can help decide on residents’ interests.
New guidelines for quality assessment in care homes came into force at the end of 2019. They replace the previous care grades and focus on the quality of care. The new guidelines are inspected annually and generally unannounced. The quality reports can be found in a comprehensible form on the Internet.