Making the decision to move a loved one into a care home is never easy, and even when it’s absolutely the right thing to do and makes a lot of sense, there are still going to be a lot of emotions at play – it’s inevitable. Plus, you’ll probably have many questions and concerns, and the whole thing will be a big change, which comes with its own set of challenges. In other words, it’s a difficult time even if the final result is a positive one.

To help, it can be a good idea to involve your loved one in the decision-making process. After all, they’re the one who are going to be living in the care home, so they should ideally have a say in where they go. It won’t always be possible, depending on your loved one’s health, but if it can be done, it should, and here are some ways to go about it.

Have Family Meetings

Rather than making important decisions by yourself and then discussing those decisions – or even telling your loved one when you’ve already made up your mind – the best thing to do is to have a family meeting or meetings, and put your ideas forward.

The key to a meeting like this is to have everyone there who needs to be (the last thing you want is to upset someone who wants to be a part of the process) and, to talk openly about your ideas and feelings – and to listen when others do the same. Start to having a conversation with your loved one about their needs and their preferences, and you can use that as a basis for choosing a good care home in Hertford to suit them perfectly.

Research Together

Once the need for a care home has been understood, it’s time to research your different options, and it’s vital that your loved one is involved. They’ll need to be happy and comfortable with the short list of care homes you come up with, and they’ll need to give you their opinion on which one they’d like to see first, or which one seems to tick all the boxes best.

Work together to determine the most important factors when it comes to choosing a care home, and make a list that includes things like location, the facilities on offer, the type of care provided, the place’s reputation, the activities you can enjoy, and, of course, the cost. You can then see which ones are best and arrange visits – and your loved one should also be at every visit.

Speak To Professionals

If you’re having a hard time involving your loved one in the decision-making process when it comes to finding a good care home, it’s often wise to talk to a professional who might have some useful advice about how to broach the subject or what your loved one needs.

By getting insights into what a care home can do, and getting answers to questions you might have, you’ll be in a much better position to go through all the options with your loved one with confidence, answering their questions and showing them why a care home is a good choice to make and the right step for them to take.

Photo by Dominik Lange on Unsplash