At Westward Care we appreciate how difficult it is to choose a care home and how confusing the world of care can first appear. To help you make sense of it all and make the right decision, we have created the following short guide. Naturally, if you would you like to know more about any area or have specific questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

When is the right time to look for a care home?

There are many reasons why people need to move or choose to move into a care home. These range from needing nursing care, personal care or social care, to wanting companionship and security in a friendly and homely environment. For many people the first time they, or their relatives consider a care home is after a period of illness, a sudden deterioration in health or the death of a carer. As a result, the decision is often a rushed one. To give yourself the widest possible choice and avoid distress in the future, it really is worth finding out as much as you can about the homes in your area now. So if you think that you, or a loved one, will soon require a care home, we recommend you take a moment or two, to read the following.

Where is the best place to start looking?

There are no hard and fast rules to finding the right care home. However, try and talk to as many people as you can and ask for recommendations. Family and friends are a good starting point, and your GP and local social services department can provide current lists of care homes in your area. There are also a number of organisations, which can provide detailed lists of registered homes in each part of the country. These include:

• The Care Quality Commission
• Leeds Care Services Directory
• Leeds Care Association

When you have drawn up a shortlist, visit as many as possible. Make an appointment to meet the general manager and then talk to residents, staff and relatives to gauge their opinions.