Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Are all homes registered and inspected?
Q2: How is the care offered to each resident monitored?
Q3: Is there enough staff to look after me?
Q4: What’s the food like?
Q5: How do you maintain cleanliness in the home?
Q6: How do I know my care needs will be met?
Q7: How is care in a home paid for?
Q8: Can my parents give away assets to avoid care fees?
Q9: How can I act on behalf of my parents?
Q10: When can my friends and family visit me?
Q11: How can I contact my friends once I move into the home?
Q12: I don't smoke and don't wish to sit in a smoky lounge, is this a problem?

Q1: Are all homes registered and inspected?

A1: Yes they are. The purpose of registration and inspection is to guarantee the standard of care you are entitled to receive. In order to be registered, a home has to comply with the Care Standards Act and the Care Homes Regulations. These specify the high standards required, for example the room sizes, number of bathrooms and toilets, food, services and facilities, fire safety and records to be kept.

Each home is regularly inspected. After each inspection a report is sent to the home detailing any recommendations and actions required. Our homes are happy to let a prospective customer view the latest report, so ask to see it.

Q2: How is the care offered to each resident monitored?

A2: For the peace of mind of anyone being cared for in one of our homes, and their family, we ensure a unique care plan is individually prepared for every new resident.

The care plan ensures that:

Your needs are identified by careful assessment, with your own involvement or that of your nominated relative/friend.
The plan will describe those identified needs and the way in which our staff will meet them.
You or your nominated relative/friend can choose to be involved in the ongoing care planning process.
Care plans are reviewed periodically and also when your needs change.

We firmly believe that you, and if you wish, your family, should play an integral part in the care planning process.

Q3: Is there enough staff to look after me?

A3: An ample staffing establishment provides the highest quality of residential care for the elderly. At least one qualified member of staff is on duty 24 hours a day.

Q4: What’s the food like?

A4: Meals are an important part of the daily routine in any care home and we take great trouble to provide delicious and traditional home cooked dishes, with ingredients being selected on the basis of quality, taste and nutrition. All meals are freshly prepared in-house and our catering staff ensure special dietary requirements are fully catered for. We also endeavour to get input from residents as to the choice of the menu.

Q5: How do you maintain cleanliness in the homes?

A5: We see cleaning as one of the most important aspects of our quality service. We employ cleaners who are trained in our procedures with the ambition to maintain excellent cleanliness. The cleaners clean the homes on a daily basis using a colour coded system to prevent cross-contamination. On entering and leaving the homes an alcohol gel is also available for all to use.

Q6: How do I know my care needs will be met?

A6: Before your admission to our home, a member of our staff will visit you in your own home, hospital, or in another home, and undertake a comprehensive assessment of your care needs. They will assess your personal, social and medical needs and will encourage your involvement in the procedure if possible. Your relatives can be involved if you wish and our staff will seek input from your social worker if relevant. We will arrange for you to have a trial visit to our home. We will only arrange your admission if we are certain that our homes can meet your care needs.

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Q7: How is care in a home paid for?

A7: It is a complex process and this outlines just the key points. We would encourage you to seek further specialist advice.

In England, if you have over a certain level of savings and assets (£22,250 as of April 2009) you will be expected to pay the full cost of your personal care and accommodation. If you have assets of under this level, your Local Authority will carry out both care needs and financial assessments to determine what type of care package best suits your needs and how much they believe you can contribute towards your care.

If the Authority is not prepared to pay the home’s full fee then this amount can be "topped up" by a relative/friend or charity.

If you own your own home prior to entering a care home the value of your home will be included in your assets, unless the house is occupied by your spouse (or in exceptional circumstances an incapacitated close relative). However, the Local Authority may disregard the value of your property for the first 12 weeks after your admission. After this period you will normally be expected to put the property on the market. Whilst the property is being sold the Local Authority will continue to make a contribution towards your fees, however, once the property is sold, you will be expected to repay them this amount. Alternatively, you can retain your property, with all payments made by the Local Authority deferred and deducted from your estate.

You should seek further specialist financial advice on these matters before making a final decision.

Q8: Can my parents give away assets to avoid care fees?

A8: When considering long term care, individuals and their families often ask us if it is possible to gift or transfer assets before care is needed, in order to avoid having to use these assets in meeting care costs. The legal position is that Social Services Departments have the right to make detailed enquiries into the background of any individual applying to them for financial support. If they discover that assets have been gifted or transferred for the purpose of claiming benefits this may have serious implications.

You should be aware that the right of Local Authorities to investigate your gifting of assets is not restricted by time; they can investigate as far back as they deem necessary to ensure that you have not deprived yourself of assets.
Consequently individuals who effect such transfers can have absolutely no guarantee that they will avoid care costs in this way.

Indeed as the financial constraints on Local Authorities become greater in the face of an ever-increasing demand, it is likely that their investigations into this practice will become more rigorous.

Q9: How can I act on behalf of my parents?

A9: We do not like to consider the possibility of being incapable of managing our affairs; still less actually making plans for such an eventuality. Yet putting an Enduring Power of Attorney in place before an emergency arises will save heartache, money and assure peace of mind for all. It is important that an Enduring Power of Attorney specific to your needs be arranged, again with an eye on long term care.

An Enduring Power of Attorney will enable a relative or close friend to act on your behalf in the event that you lose the ability to carry out essential functions, whether through mental or extreme physical disability. This can range from writing cheques to selling properties. You can have more than one Attorney, either acting together or independently. An Enduring Power of Attorney should not be confused with a Power of Attorney, which will cease at the onset of mental disability.

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Q10: When can my friends and family visit me?

A10: We welcome visits from your friends and family and our visiting times are flexible. Generally we prefer visits between the hours of 9am to 9pm. However we are happy to accommodate visits outside of these hours if necessary although we would request you to inform us beforehand. In addition we politely request that visits are arranged to avoid mealtimes. If you would like to go out with your family for the day, this is easily accommodated; our chef will keep your meal warm for your return or alternatively, our staff can prepare a cold meal if you prefer.

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Q11: How can I contact my friends once I move into the home?

A11: A pay phone is located in each of the homes which can be used to make outgoing calls as well as receive incoming calls. Alternatively, the telephone in the office may be used to receive private calls. Additionally residents can have a telephone installed in their own rooms if they wish. If you have any difficulty using the telephone the staff will be happy to assist you.

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Q12: I don't smoke and don't wish to sit in a smoky lounge, is this a problem?

A12: All residents enjoy the benefit of a clean and smoke free environment at the homes. Smoking is not permitted anywhere in the buildings, however there is a designated smoking area in the grounds.

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