Changing care homes: What to do

Moving into a care home can be very unsettling and finding the right home for you can be hard. It can take a while to settle in so give it time. Even if you carefully made your choice to move into a certain care home, asked all the right questions and visited the setting to meet staff and residents, your mind can change.

Perhaps the feel of the care home is not for you or you think after a while that it is not the right fit to suit your needs anymore.

These things can be difficult to predict and if your stay does not fulfil your expectations, you find it hard to settle in or feel unhappy, an option is to change care home. However, it is advised to first speak with managers and staff as well as family and friends to figure out if changing rooms, routines or upping your care can solve any issues.

Trying to resolve the situation can be the better option as changing care homes will result in another search process and the transition can be stressful.

A change in care needs

Over time, your care needs may change and the residential home your currently live in may not have the necessary skills or qualifications to fully look after you. If this happens, moving into a nursing home will likely solve any shortcomings in your care plan as they provide nursing care in addition to personal care.

Another example could be if your loved one is living with dementia and their condition worsens to the point where staying in a residential home is no longer possible. This will likely be a good idea as moving into a home specialising in dementia care will mean that your loved one is getting the care services they need.

The care home you live in may be able to increase the level of care provided, so make sure you check this first. Your contract may only state that you require personal care and because of this, that is what the staff provides.

You can no longer afford the care home

If you are a self-funder and run out of money and apply for local authority funding, you may find your current care home is too expensive for state funded care.

If you are eligible for state funded care you may be able to ask a family member or a friend to top up your funding so you can still stay in the home.

Or you may be eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare.

If you do have to move to a less expensive care home you can search for ones in your area at carehome.co.uk.

Request a needs assessment

If your needs have changed and the residential home where you are currently staying can no longer fulfil your needs, it is a good idea to request a needs assessment from your local social services.

Following the needs assessment, your local council will be able to make suggestions and recommendations based on your changing care needs.

Review your current contract

If you are paying for your own care, there will be a contract between you and the care home you are staying in. If you are a self-funder, review the terms and conditions to understand the cancellation process, including the required notice period.

This is important because the contract will outline the duties and rights of both you and the care home.

If your care home place has been organised by your local authority, the contract will be between their social services and the care home. If this is the case, call your local council for more information and how they can help you with the move.

Making a complaint

If your desire to change care homes is due to a complaint, ensure that you first make your concerns known to managers and staff. They may not be aware that there is a problem and will always try to resolve the issue.

Follow this link to find out how to make a complaint and learn about the procedures involved.