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Feel a bit funny asking on here but this forum has mostly served me well in the past!
We’re looking to move my dad closer to us in leeds from the care home he’s currently in (down south). Problem is finding somewhere decent and suitable (dementia friendly) is proving a bit tricky. We don’t want to be moving him frequently if possible as this will confuse him further. I’m also a little cautious that you won’t find out what a place is really like until you’re signed up.
I guess I’m after any general advice or recommendations for somewhere, ideally in the north leeds/York area - any info greatly appreciated.
Cheers
Andy
The reports from the care commission inspectors are available publicly. Well worth a look and note if its an announced or unannounced inspection
IMO / IME the quality of the manager is the absolutely key thing that makes or breaks a home - you want to talk to them directly
Visit homes. Use your nose - a smell of urine is not inevitable if its wiffy its a rubbish home. Also look at the other residents and check their footwear - its an often missed thing to clean shoes / slippers. If other residents have manky shoes on then its a crap home
See what the activities programme is like - is someone using their imagination with doing thing?
Ask how many agency staff they use. Obviously the less the better
Don't fret too much about the actual buildings - I have seen good homes in poorly adapted old buildings and rubbish homes in modern purpose built ones
this place near me is supposed to be a good place. a friends dad is here.
not to far from leeds
https://www.carehome.co.uk/carehome.cfm/searchazref/10004009LOFA
As above look at the Care Quality Commission assessments which are a good stating point. For example there's Headingley Hall which gets an outstanding rating, whist others are assessed as requiring improvement.
The assessments do need to be taken with a pinch of salt, and you need to dig deeper than their headline.
Dad's been in a couple of places recently, one assessed as outstanding and one assessed as requiring improvement... The requires improvement one is far superior in terms of actual care and responding to patient needs. The outstanding one is terrible by comparison but are handy with their paperwork.
cp makes a good point.
A little out of your way, but my mum is at Waterside Lodge in Todmorden, only a stones throw from STW Towers.
Obviously, the family would rather she wasn’t in a home at all but slow onset dementia. It’s a lovely home, staff are lovely and mum always looks well cared for, nails painted, hairdos. We moved her here after an awful experience at another home in the outskirts of Halifax that has now, happily, closed down. There, they left her in her bed clothes, soaked in her own urine. They were tough visits, now less so as she is well cared for, but you will get a vibe and feeling when you visit these places.
There’s a new dementia focused care home just outside Harrogate (nr Pannal railway station). I have no idea how good it is meant to be though.
You're Harrogate way, aren't you? My daughter volunteered for a while (pre-covid) in Craven Nursing Home in Skipton and said there was a lovely caring atmosphere. Mix of patients, I think, including dementia.
https://www.mmcgcarehomes.co.uk/care-homes/oaklands ?
North of Wetherby... Felt nice when grandmother-in-law was there.
Worked( doing comms) in a very nice/well respected one for a few days ,Newfield lodge in Castleford.newish building, staff were great,best one Ive come across on my travels
We visit the various homes around Harrogate and the Vida ones always seem decent. The one down by Harrogate Railway FC had a specialist dementia block.
Perhaps further NW than you're considering, but the one in Gargrave seemed pretty good when FiL had a temporary stay after a fall. We weren't really sure he would ever make it home but a month later he was mobile again...
A bit bias (i work for them), but have a look here:
Many are rated good by the regulator (CQC)
I used to live just up the road from this place in Baildon.
Big Caveat that I haven't lived in that are for 4 years, but at the time it was well liked and known in the area. I had also been in twice, and it always 'felt' right, unlike some other homes I have been in.
Certainly worth exploring if nothing else. Oh and some great biking just down the road on Shipley Glen/Baildon Moor
The Glen Nursing Homes – Just another WordPress site
Thanks for recommendations and advice so far. I've followed up on a few of them, some having waiting lists though (probably a good sign).
very much so. If a home does not have a waiting list ask yourself why.
I have seen this locally. We have the usual issue with people getting stuck in hospital as they are waiting for care homes. The delayed discharge team were trying to find temporary places while their place of choice was waiting for a vacancy. they tried to put them in a care home that was so poor that my agency actually refused to send staff to the home conditions were so poor.
Waiting lists are ok you soon get a call sadly.
I wouldn't focus too much on the bricks and mortar, it's the staff and how they are managed that is the key. Mum mum has been in care home for 6 months now, went for a respite stay and is v happy being looked after.
What's key for us is the location, somewhere convenient visitors can call by. I cycle past so tap on the window, staff know she gets visits so does seem to bet special attention.
It's certainly not the most modern or purpose built, it's a dated ex hotel. Must be good as occupancy is 100% now, fees are the same in most of the local ones, one is double but modern purpose built.
Good luck in the search.
My Mum moved into one permanently in August, and I'm impressed with it (as is she). In Cheshire, so not directly useful for the OP, but I've learnt a bit about how it works. It's family owned and all staff are directly employed, it has a very friendly and supportive atmosphere - but the fees (approx £1k/wk) are substantially more than the local authority funding. It has a separate dementia wing, which I can see her moving to in due course, and I'm sure that will be better than moving to a different home. Compared to one my aunt was in (arranged by my cousin, and had all TJ's warning signs), it's like night and day - she only goes to her room to sleep or (because of covid) if she has visitors otherwise she's in the communal areas, and there are usually some optional activities organised.
Local authority fees are below the basic costs. At £1000 a week for a well run home they are probably lucky to be making a return of 5% - 10% on that. Running a care home is outrageously expensive. Basic costs to run to the minimum standards required will be around £750 a week per bed.
Most homes that take council funded residents use self funders to subsidise and / or cut corners as much as they can