Elderly Care Homes – Sorting the Wheat From the Chaff

We all know the sort of re-assuring message at the end of Crimewatch – “ Please dont have nightmares; the incidents featured here are very few and far between. “ Well the same also applies to the horror stories we hear about residential care homes - Vulnerable old people, somebody’s nearest and dearest, being routinely abused and neglected. Even purses being ransacked by callous staff.
Well, thankfully, such awful establishments are very rare indeed but, when it comes to selecting a care home for a parent or other relative, how do you finally decide on which to go for either in Wimbledon or anywhere else for that matter. In our view, ownership is a huge consideration. Small family run concerns are usually very reliable as are those which belong to publicly quoted companies with reputations to protect.
Try and get some idea of how current guests feel about the standard of care. Bear in mind that care goes way beyond looking after people’s physical wellbeing. Many guests will initially find it difficult being uprooted from their familiar environs and planted in a totally new situation. This is why staff need to know as much as they can about their new charges. After all, they are going to have to act almost as surrogate relatives.
Having satisfied oneself as to the perceived standard of care, particularly for elderly people with highly sensitive conditions like dementia, one needs to consider the facilities provided. Are there comfortable communal areas where guests can mingle with other residents ? What arrangements are there for treatments like hairdressing and chiropody ? Finally, how pro-active is the home in organising fun activities for its guests like theatre and cinema trips, excursions to country gardens and other social events.
At the end of the day, it’s usually a matter of common sense. What is the ambience like as soon as you step through the door on your inspection visit and are existing residents wearing a smile on their faces and generally displaying signs of contentment?
Within 20 years 23% of the population with be 65 or over and this growing trend has serious implications to and for every area in our society.  Quite simply – ‘ignore the elderly at your peril’. 
Anybody that thinks the elderly, aged or senior members of our society are over the hill should seriously think again as this is not true at all...
The ‘grey’ vote is having increasing political influence as they are more likely to vote than youngsters and are growing in numbers. An active and politically powerful population keen to work or volunteer are not a group to be trifled with elderly care homes work.