Choosing The Location Of Your Care Home
Finding a care home for a loved one can be an extremely stressful and challenging experience, and often one that people only do infrequently so it’s certainly not something they do every day! Location of a care home is critical. Here we take you through the key location points to think about when choosing a care home.
Who is it close to?
This is often the biggest mistake people make when choosing a care home. It’s often a decision made in a panicked time and they select a home which is close to where their loved one currently lives. What they should do is choose a care home as close as possible to where their friends and family who will regularly visit are. This means that if a family live round the corner from our care home in Speldhurst, on the outskirts of Tunbridge Wells but their mum lives in the Midlands somewhere, assuming their mum can make the journey they would be much better off coming to our care home than one near where their mum lives as they would then be able to visit as frequently as required.
So this should be a key consideration when choosing the location of a care home – choose somewhere that’s as close as possible to friends and family most likely to visit.
What are the grounds like?
Not everyone is the outdoorsy type and some would be happy in a care home where they stay inside for the majority of the day. This is a hard point for us to be unbiased on as we’re extremely proud of our 9-acre gardens located in a beautiful manor house. Many residents love spending time outside when they can, and often grandchildren will be down enjoying the grounds too.
This is something to consider when selecting the location of a care home – what are the gardens like and how important is this to the individual going into the care home.
What’s nearby?
Some who are looking for a care home want to be active and have the ability to pop into town should they need to, and there are homes in towns where this is possible whereas others either aren’t physically able to do this or don’t want to. Although we don’t have a town on our doorstep, wherever possible we do our best to keep our residents integrated within the local community. Whether it’s a trip to sea World in Brighton, visiting a local school at Christmas or singing carols with the Speldhurst Girl Guides, we get out and about as much we can!
So if you do have an individual moving into a care home but looking to maintain the ability to amble into town, look for a care home near a town centre.
Location, location, location!
Again, completely dependent on the individual, but what do they like? Have they always lived in big cities? Do they like the hustle and bustle of a town nearby? Or do they love living in the countryside or perhaps by the beach?
What is the building like?
Slightly less purely ‘location’ related, the type of building is an important consideration when choosing a care home. We’re proud of our historic manor house with beautiful grounds here at Birchwood House, but we’re not huge and we’re not purpose built, which is something we’re very proud of. What this does mean is that we’re not the right for everyone and some may prefer a large, purpose built care home. You can find more information about the comparison between a purpose built care home and a home from home here.
We hope this guide is useful, and if you’re not sure about where would be the best place for your lved one’s care home to be located, do get in touch with us and we will help in whatever way we can!
Other articles you may like
- Slow cooked beef casserole
We love Nicky Corbishley’s take on a lighter version of this classic British dish. It’s become a staple over the summer and our resident’s have enjoyed the fresh variation, which makes use of crisp vegetables and couscous. - Why routine matters later in life
As we grow older, familiarity often becomes increasingly important. Small daily routines – whether it’s enjoying a morning cup of tea, reading the newspaper after breakfast, tending to the garden, or listening to a favourite song before bed – can provide comfort, confidence, and a reassuring sense of normality. - Kentish Treacle and Lemon Tart
Chef John always creates the most delicious desserts, and he hasn’t missed with this one either. The mouth-watering Kentish lemon tart has not disappointed and is super easy to make. We have taken inspiration from BBC Good Food. - How can we protect our residents in the sun?
A few years ago, we’d be lucky to see a summer that would hit mid-twenty degrees. July would usually fall between 19°C to 23°C, and whilst it would be hot, it was nowhere near the mid-thirties! - Chicken Caesar Salad
Chef John’s salads are always a hit, so here’s another variation on a timeless classic. Chicken caesar salad uses little ingredients to create maximum flavour, and the dish is easily customisable to whatever you fancy. We’ve taken inspo from BBC Good Food for this one. You can also boost this dish with extra veg, like cucumber, carrot, radishes and tomatoes. In this heat, veg with high water content (such as lettuce) is also great for staying hydrated. - What are the different roles in a care home?
At Birchwood, everyone plays their part. We take so much pride and care in the work that we do, and knowing we can make a difference in our residents’ lives makes all the difference. We genuinely care about our residents, and the connections we make is what makes us so special. We make sure every resident can enjoy their time here, and feel cared for every day with loving, qualified staff. And because our team is nothing short of exceptional, we thought it’s time to introduce everyone! Here, we want to spotlight all the different roles in our care home, and just how each person supports our residents’ wellbeing. - How can we support adults with neurodiversity?
Neurodiversity is increasingly talked about in care, especially when it comes to meeting emotional needs. And whilst it’s so good to see this happening, sometimes older adults are left out of the conversation. Focus tends to be on children, particularly for school support and early diagnosis. - Pistachio and Honey Crème Brûlée
The Pistachio and Honey Crème Brûlé offers a sumptuous take on a timeless dessert, balancing comfort with sophistication. Hidden beneath its signature, shimmering caramel crust is a silky custard, enriched with the warm, floral sweetness of golden honey. - Prawn and chorizo pasta
This prawn and chorizo pasta offers a perfect mix of sweet and smoky flavour. The prawn brings a lighter, more delicate touch, whilst the chorizo gives the dish a richness. Plus, the fat from the chorizo is great for creating the sauce base! This one is from BBC Food and it’s super easy to prep and make, mixing lots of flavours in a way that feels warm and comfortable. Perfect for spring!
