Get a list of preferred dementia care providers from social services (not that this really means that much but it?s a good starting point)
Decide which homes you fancy having a look at and then look them up on the CQC website. www.cqc.org.uk/ Read the info available online to get an idea of what it was doing / how things were at the last inspection and see which ones you still fancy looking at.
When you?ve picked the ones you want to see, just show up unannounced. Don?t phone beforehand on the first visit ? you need to get a glimpse of the place as it normally runs.
When you get there, make a note of the following ?
? Whether the door to the building was locked
? How long it took for someone to answer the door
? How welcoming staff were when you asked if someone had ten minutes to show you around
? What the home smelt like / how it appeared (give or take)
? How many residents were up and about in the lounges, dining room etc
? If there were several residents about, how many were wandering / unsupervised and what their appearance was like (i.e. did they have half a plate full of dinner all over their clothing, were they in nightwear unusually early / late etc)
? How busy staff were and how much time they had to stop and take five with residents ? also keep an ear out for buzzers going off and clock how long they go off for.
? If you?re shown in any bedrooms, make a note of items that make it a bit more personal (photographs, furnishings etc) or if every room looks like a sea of fitted pine furniture you might find in Travelodge.
During the first visit you can just have a nosey around and get a feel for what the place is like and how comfortable, content residents are. More often than not you?ll know within the first five or ten minutes whether you like it. If you?re tutted at for turning up unannounced or if staff say they haven?t time to see you / you?ll have to come back when the manager is there etc, forget it.
If it makes a good first impression, ask to see the manager at an arranged time so you can discuss things further.
If a home makes it to round two, make sure you ask the manager ?
? What area of the home dementia residents are cared for and if you can see it
? How many staff are on duty on all shifts covering a 24hr period to care for everyone in the home or on that particular unit.
? Whether they (the manager) works the shop floor and is ?hands on?
? What type of training staff have been given / regularly receive in dementia care
? What staff turnover is like / how long most have been there / whether they use agency staff
? What the average daily routine in the home is including times residents get up, have meals, complete activities, go to bed and whether there are any restrictions on visiting times.
? How they assess, plan and review care and whether they actively encourage relatives to contribute
? How they manage residents whose health requires additional care and support (i.e. will they do everything to provide whatever is needed so that people can stay at the home or do they boot folk at the first sign of a problem)
? Whether they allow trial periods to see how things go and what the procedure is for assessing and admitting new residents.
These are the basics really. Just show up, keep your ears and eyes open and go with your gut instinct. :)