Moving to a care home can be an emotional time for both you and your families. With over 15 years’ experience of helping people make the transition, we have produced some help below.

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Before You Move In

Experience tells us that residents settle in more quickly and your loved ones feel more assured if you spend some time at the care home before moving in. Getting to know members of the care team, making friends with other residents and seeing what happens on a daily basis will make all involved much happier. We welcome these visits and look forward to meeting you.

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Letting People Know

As with any house move, it's important to let family, friends, people and providers know that you are moving, and give them your new address. The list of service providers you need to contact may include gas/electricity companies, water board, banks, and pension providers. In addition you may wish to contact your GP, dentist and optician. Please note you are welcome to continue using your usual healthcare providers if they are happy to come and see you in your new home.

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Packing Essential Items

When packing your personal luggage, we recommend bring enough changes of clothes and toiletries for two weeks and that you include the following:

• Daytime clothing

• Two or three sets of night clothes

• A dressing gown

• Slippers

• A supply of toiletries

• Socks or stockings

• Underwear

• A coat or jacket

• Medicines

You don't need to pack towels and bed linen as we provide these for you.

 

Bringing Personal Possessions

Before you move, it's a good idea to think about what you want to bring with you. Favourite small items, such ornaments, pictures and books, are a perfect way to personalise your room, so it feels more like home. To help you get started, here are a few ideas of the sort of things you may want to bring:

• Furniture - you're welcome to bring small items of your own furniture with you. Check with us that they'll fit in your room first, though. (Furniture must be fire retardant.)

• Clothing – we have a laundry service so make sure you label your clothes before you arrive. Our minimum temperature wash is 40°C, so check washing instructions. If you want to bring any delicate items, perhaps family and friends can help by washing them, or taking them to the dry cleaners.

• Electrical appliances - you can bring your own TV for your room and other electrical appliances as long as you have a TV license. All rooms are heated so you won't need to bring electrical fires or fan heaters.

• Mobility aids - if you have your own wheelchair we're happy for you to bring it with you. Some Primary Care Trusts supply wheelchairs to residents who need them.

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Other Information

When you move in, we’ll give you a memory box, which is a great place to keep knick-knacks and mementos that matter to you. So please do make sure you bring some items in with you.

• Photograph albums are a great tool to use to help us learn more about you, your life, and your loved ones, so if you have copies of pictures that you can put in an album for us then that would also be useful.

• Please do bring four passport sized photos with you.

• Please ensure your family allows some time on the day of admission for us to find out more about you such as your life history, social history, likes and dislikes etc. It enables us to have conversations with you about the things that matter most to you, and helps us to start building your care plan.