Choosing your care home
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Introduction
At Ideal Care Homes we understand that choosing the right care home is an important decision. This is why we offer residential and dementia care services in the heart of local communities with your individual needs at the centre of everything we do. We are proud to offer the highest quality of personalised care in a contemporary and relaxed setting. Our professional and highly-trained staff are dedicated carers who promote independence and personal choice. Our homes are designed with every thought given to the wellbeing of residents requiring either residential or specialised dementia care.
Everything we do is focused on the principles of putting people first. This means seeing the person as a unique individual with a rich history, experience, skills and knowledge, preferences, desires and personality. We believe that all people have the right to live in a way which promotes their independence, enables them to express choice, gives them a right to privacy and respects their dignity.
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Mark Greaves
Managing Director, Ideal Care Homes
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About This Guide Looking for a care home, either for yourself or a loved one, can be a difficult and confusing time. This guide will not only provide you with more information about Ideal Care Homes and the care services we offer, but also provide other points of contact that you may find useful when choosing a care home. We believe that Ideal Care Homes provide the perfect choice for people requiring residential or dementia care. By reading this guide you will get a taster of what our home life is like, the care and activities we provide, along with practical information on fees and how to arrange a visit.
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Care Our homes are registered to provide residential and dementia care to persons aged 65 and over. All of our staff undertake an extensive program of empathy based induction training including dementia awareness. We take the time to listen and get to know the individual, enabling us to provide the highest standards of specialist care and support for you and your loved ones.
Residential care All of our homes offer residential care, providing support to residents who need help with their day to day routine. Whilst expert care staff are always on hand 24 hours a day, our residential care homes still provide residents with their own privacy and promote their independence.
Dementia care We recognise the unique requirements of people living with dementia, which is why we offer specialist care which recognises this. Our buildings all incorporate the latest design features to enable people to live as purposefully and independently as possible. All staff are trained to understand and support people living with dementia.
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Care plans and reviews Every resident has their own allocated Care Plan Co-ordinator who will work with you to devise an individual Personal Care Profile. This file will contain important information that staff within the home use to understand and respond to health, personal and social care needs. Only you or your representative (with permission) and authorised personnel will have access to the profile and the information provided is treated with the strictest of confidence. Care plan reviews will be undertaken on a monthly basis. You can request to read your Personal Care Profile any time you wish.
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Accommodation Ideal Care Homes are built and maintained by its specialist sister company LNT Construction. Years of experience building and operating care homes means all of our homes are fully equipped to provide care in a safe and comfortable environment, far exceeding industry recommendations on space and facilities. All bedrooms are tastefully decorated with luxury fittings and furniture, the majority have en-suite facilities which include a wet room shower. Further facilities include a flat screen TV, DVD player, a mini fridge, access to Freeview, telephone and internet facilities. A 24 hour call system is also fitted in every room. Should you wish to take a room as a couple the option is to have one room as a bedroom and the other as a private sitting room. All of our homes have key coded door systems to ensure that residents safety is maintained at all times.
Spacious and well equipped lounges • Areas to engage with activites or simply unwind Distinctive and welcoming reception areas
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Bathrooms that promote dignity and privacy • Spacious and well arranged bedrooms Bespoke fitted furniture throughout • Modern kitchens and laundry equipment
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Home Life Activities and Hobbies
Ideal Care Homes offer an extensive activity programme for residents which helps to provide variety and something new to do every day. Activities are set by the people who live with us. Reminiscence is a very beneficial and enjoyable activity for residents living with dementia, by remembering the past and providing an opportunity to reminisce. Every Ideal Care Home is an integral part of the local community and we always encourage the community to participate or contribute to the activities in our homes. Residents are also encouraged to pursue interests within the local community. Each month, the home holds “Your choice� meetings where residents are encouraged to put forward ideas about activities they would like to see in the home along with selecting the menus for the coming month.
Virtual Noticeboard The virtual notice board is an interactive channel which can be used by residents and loved ones to view live information about your home’s activities, the menu for the day and staff on duty. Take a look at idealcarehomes.co.uk, or alternatively become our friend on Facebook.
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Skype and Facebook All of our homes have their own Facebook page where relatives can like our page and see what activities and events are happening on a daily basis. We are also issuing all our homes with iPads so the communication App, Skype, can be used. This is great for residents to connect with relatives who cannot visit the home directly. The iPad is also used for reminiscence activities.
Contact with friends & family We hope that you and your loved ones treat the home as your own and as such you can have visitors any time day or night at your convenience
Meals Mealtimes are an important part of home life and each Ideal Care Home has a four weekly menu that offers a well-balanced and nutritious diet with several choice options. Awarded full marks by the Department of Environmental Health hygiene standards for our award winning chefs and kitchen facilities, we offer a variety of food and cater for special diets, including diabetic, soft diets, vegetarian options etc. At mealtimes, you can join others in the main dining area or alternatively you may prefer to eat in your room. A snack menu is available any time, day or night, along with tea, coffee and other hot drinks.
A typical daily menu
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I’d like to thank Mark the Managing Director for caring for my Mum and giving our family the peace of mind that Mum was happy and being looked after by people that genuinely care.
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Fees & Legal Information Ideal Care Homes is committed to providing value for money. Depending on your financial situation you will be required to either pay the fees in full or you may receive some assistance from Social Services. The rules on fee paying are complex; therefore further information can be obtained from the Home Manager or your local Social Services department. Our private and 3rd party top-up fees for Local Authority residents are competitively priced.
Legal Advice If you find that you have a legal issue or question regarding managing affairs later in life, we have joined forces with Ramsden’s Solicitors to set up The Ideal Care Homes Free Legal Helpline, a dedicated service for potential residents and their loved ones. Simply call 0800 988 3650 for immediate advice on issues such as help with care home funding, wills, Lasting Power of Attorney, Probate and Inheritance Tax planning.
For independent advice on choosing your care home call Independent Age Advice line on 0800 319 6789
To find out more, why not visit our website? idealcarehomes.co.uk
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Useful Questions to Ask Consider these questions before you speak to any care provider and think about their answers after any discussions or visits have taken place. • Can residents have personal possessions in their rooms such as pictures, plants and furniture? • Do you have a choice of what and when to eat every day? Are special diets catered for? • Can you prepare food or drink yourself if you get hungry or thirsty during any time of the day or night? • Will you be free to have people visit you at any time, as they would be able to if you were living at home? • Were the staff helpful in setting out exactly what services they provide? • Did they explain their costs and charges properly? • Were they confident to let you meet and talk to existing residents? • Did they ask many questions about you - your likes and dislikes? If the answer is ‘no’ to any of these questions think about why this is so. Don’t be afraid to go back to the care provider and ask as many questions as you want.
For more information on Ideal Care Homes and the care services we provide call 0113 385 3884 or email customer.services@idealcarehomes.co.uk
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Useful Contacts Age UK ageuk.org.uk 0800 169 65 65 Alzheimer’s Society alzheimers.org 0845 300 0336 Care Aware careaware.co.uk 0161 707 1107 Care Quality Commission cqc.org.uk 03000 616 161 Citizens Advice citizensadvice.org.uk Independent Age independentage.org 0800 319 6789 FirstStop Care Advice firststopcareadvice.org.uk 0800 377 7070
t: 0113 385 3884 e: customer.services@idealcarehomes.co.uk w: idealcarehomes.co.uk Ideal Care Homes Head Office / Helios 47 / Leeds / LS25 2DY