Initially it will be for respite care but with an eye on the future.
Are any of the comparison/ advice websites any good- or do I just go by CQC results.
Cheers
Go look round them - that's the advice I'd take. We looked at many for MIL. None are perfect as most do have staffing issues. MIL did have a number of respite visits over the years to various homes, then finally needed a home with nursing care, and we decided on one nearby that we could all get to easily.
They've been passed a few years, but my partners grandparent went to Broadway Hall (DY1) and their care was first class. Admittedly it's in the centre of Dudley, so not exactly Kiddy/Stourbridge, but still thought it worth mentioning as a recommendation. I know the in-laws would have checked all the options in the area (including Kiddy)
One of the key things is the quality of the manager so have a chat with them. Use your nose. The home should not smell of wee. Check male residents for bring properly shaved and check patients footwear. Two things that are often neglected. Dirty shoes isn't good. Ask about agency usage.
We've just been through this with my FIL. I was appalled by the general crapness of most of what we saw. We were proposed one by the council & went to take a look. We found mouldy walls, threadbare carpets and carers that wouldn't be out of place in a 1970s British Rail caff, dribbling tea over slightly dirty mugs, fag hanging off their lips.
I got to thinking: "I wonder what scummy turd runs such a business and do they own any more?" Amazingly the CQC website let me wildcard search everything in the UK which I dropped into excel. So here you can filter on location (column D) and provider name - the ultimate owner (column R). Data's about 3 months old. Was certainly good for working out which places to avoid.
Thats what happens when what the state will pay for residential care is a lot less than the costs.
I reckon that 750 to pound a week is the minimum to give adequate care 1000 foe decent care
I was heads grounds person on the Prestwood estate until a couple of years ago, I can’t recommend the homes enough, staff were great and mangers too. I would’ve put my Nan in one of the homes but she didn’t want to move across from Shropshire. The lodge is more independent and the coach house is for more nursing care. Hopefully nothing has changed for the worse in last 2 years.
@tjagain we're paying to top up. Even then the selection was poor. We did find a good one eventually, but had to go via a bad one. They had pretendy interaction people who would sit in reception on the lookout for visitors & when one was spotted go and rush up to the inmate's location and pretend that they were tending to them or playing games with them. Interestingly that provider had a flagship location which was rated "good", the other 12 were "inadequate" or "Requires improvement".
That Prestwood setup looks nice
Thanks for all the replies- good advice as usual.
Zippy- Dudley not out of the question tbh, ill check it out.
TJ- I hadn't thought of those things- I wouldn't pass the shave/shoe test myself but that's not the point- I'll keep em peeled.
Thats what happens when what the state will pay for residential care is a lot less than the costs.
I reckon that 750 to pound a week is the minimum to give adequate care 1000 foe decent care
Yeah when my Nan passed the other year, the respite fees from the council were £700 a week, that home was decent care wise but a bit run down...I found a decent care home and that started from a grand a week depending on level of needs etc. And that is in a cheapish area of the country.
We have just been through this with my MiL. It's an utterly soul-destroying task. Homes around here vary from £1,000 to £1,600 a week and the cost is not neccesarily an indication of quality or level of care.
As mentioned above, visit as many homes as you can and ask lots of questions. Put the staff on the spot and see how they react. If there is much "um'ing" and "uh'ing" and the answers aren't forthcoming, think twice.
Just looking at this for my Aunt, I'm using carehome.co.uk to narrow it down for starters.
Houns, I'd looked at Prestwood- its in the zone. Thanks, I'll definitely pay a visit now.
Houns, I'd looked at Prestwood- its in the zone. Thanks, I'll definitely pay a visit now.
Hopefully Tina is still the manager of the Lodge, she’ll take care of you
