Choosing a care home

What is a care home?

Residential care homes are for people who can’t live by themselves at home. The care homes provide you with a bedroom, bathroom, communal areas and meals. Qualified staff can support you with personal tasks. There is a cost to live in a care home.

They offer different levels of care to suit your needs. This includes general personal care, nursing care, dementia or specialist care.

Care homes can be either commercial businesses or not for profit organisations. They may be commissioned by Newcastle City Council. They are registered and inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Commissioned services

Commissioned services, have a contract with Newcastle City Council to provide a service. The Care Home must meet the quality standards set by the council. This includes:

environmental standards: For example, they look at how big the rooms are. The number of en-suite bathrooms. and the width of corridors
quality of care: For example, they look at how they recruit and train staff. How they get feedback from people who live in the home and their relatives to improve the service

See the list of care homes that Newcastle City Council commissions on InformationNOW.

Speak to Adult Social CarePoint at Newcastle City Council for more information and advice. Or you can contact some of these services directly to arrange your own support.

See the list of services that are commissioned by Newcastle City Council. This includes, advocacy, home care agencies, supported living, carers support.

Residential care (care homes with personal care)

Residential care homes provide some personal care and support including:

help with things such as dressing
supervision of medication
companionship
someone on call during the night

They arrange district nursing care during short periods of illness.

Nursing homes (care homes with nursing care)

Nursing homes provide personal and nursing care 24 hours a day. This is for people who need regular help from a nurse. They may have mobility problems, be very frail or have a medical condition.

Care homes with dementia care

This is specialist dementia care. These care homes provide support 24 hours a day for older people living with dementia. Some also provide nursing care.

Making a decision about moving into a care home

Before deciding to move into a care home, it is important to get advice to decide if this is the best choice for you. Do you need the amount of care on offer at a care home? Other housing such as Extra care or Retirement accommodation may be a good option for you. They offer independence with a higher level of care and support.

There are other options that can cost less such as:

Disability North offer independent living support and advice. They can help you to plan and buy home care, equipment and employ a personal assistant.

Respite or temporary accommodation

A stay in a care home does not have to be permanent. You can stay in a care home for a short time. This can help you to build up your strength after an illness or stay in hospital. Or to give your carer a break. This is respite care.

Some care homes have spaces for respite care. Other care homes can provide respite care when they have a vacancy.

Discuss your care needs

Speak to Adult Social CarePoint at Newcastle City Council to discuss your options. They can arrange a Needs Assessment for you to understand how you’re managing day to day. After the assessment, they will explain if you’re eligible for a place in a care home. They can help you decide which home you want to move into.

They can arrange a financial assessment. This is to find out if you are eligible for funding towards the cost of your care from the Council, or not. After the assessment you will find out if you are eligible for support, and how much support you can get.

What is eligibility?

The Care Act sets out the criteria to decide if you can receive support or money from Adult Social Care at Newcastle City Council.

It’s described as having ‘eligible care needs’ or that you are ‘eligible’ for support if you meet this criteria. This is decided when you have a Needs Assessment.

Things to think about when choosing a care home

Here are some useful questions to ask to help you find the right care home for you:

What do the care fee include? Are there any extra costs (top up fees)?
Where is the care home? Is it easy for visitors to get to and for you to get out and about from?
Can you visit the care home? To meet staff and see the home?

Making your own choices

Will I be encouraged to be as independent as possible and make my own choices?
Can I choose what and when I will eat? Do they cater for special diets? Can I eat privately with guests from time to time? Can I prepare any food and drinks for myself?
Am I free to see visitors when and where I choose? Can visitors stay overnight?
Can I get up and go to bed when I choose? If not, will I be happy with the arrangement that is in place?
Will the managers of the home ask how I would like to handle my money or medicines?
Can I keep my own doctor or GP?

Facilities available

Are toilets available in all parts of the home? Are they fully equipped with handrails and other helpful equipment?
Can wheelchairs go everywhere within the home? Can wheelchairs get in and out easily? Is there a lift?
If I need help with bathing, does the home have suitable facilities? Who will help me bathe? Can I choose how often or when I have a bath or shower?
Is there more than one living room so that there is a quiet room as well as one with a television?
Is there an outdoor area and garden? Does it feel safe and secure?
How does the home store your valuable items?
Are there regular visiting services, such as hairdressers, chiropodists or ministers?

Home comforts

What is the view from your room?
Can I bring in personal possessions such as, pictures, plants and small items of furniture?
Can I use a telephone in private, for incoming and outgoing calls? Can I have my own direct telephone number?
Does the home have a nice atmosphere? Do the residents and staff seem content?
Can I control my own heating?
Will I be allowed to bring my pet with me to the home?
Read more about pets in sheltered accommodation or care homes

Things to do

Does the home arrange activities or outings? For example, to the shops, to a place of worship, or entertainment?
What physical activities are available for residents?
Are there books and newspapers available? Do residents visit the library, or does a mobile library come to the home?

Getting involved

Is there a residents committee?
Does the home encourage people to say how they feel about living there? Is there written information about how to discuss a problem or make a complaint?
Can I help with activities in the home? For example, cleaning, cooking or gardening.

What about my partner, friends or relatives?

Care homes are used to supporting the partner who remains at home while their you move into a care home. When looking for the right care home, it is important to ask questions like:

Can I join my partner for lunch every day? You may be asked to pay for your own meal but ask about the cost
Can I stay all day or are there any restrictions?
Can we spend time together?
Can I join in with some of the social activities that the care home run, like day trips or games?
How do the care home let relatives or friends know if I am ill?

Your care needs

Can the home meet my communication needs? For example, if my first language isn’t English, if I use sign language, or if I need information in large print?
What happens if I need more or less care than I usually have? Might I have to leave?
What arrangements are made for funerals and for payment if I die?

Your choice of care home

Adult Social Care will try their best to accommodate you in the care home of your choice.

(Please note this is after you have had a Needs and a Financial assessment. And it’s decided that a care home is the right option for you.)

They will look at whether the care home:

can provide the level of care you need
does not charge more than the price the Council would normally pay for a person with your care needs
has a space available for you
is willing to enter into a contract with the Council

There’s lots of care homes in Newcastle to choose from. To help you decide which care home is the best one for you look at:

Care Quality Commission (CQC) has a list of all registered care homes in Newcastle. They inspect care home and provide free, independent reports on the quality of the homes. This can help you make an informed choice.

List of care homes commissioned by Newcastle City Council

Paying for your care home

Most people are expected to pay something towards the costs of their accommodation and personal care.

Adult Social Care at Newcastle City Council can carry out a financial assessment. This is to work out how much you have to pay towards your care home fees and if you can get financial support from the Council. They will look at how much money you have in your savings, benefits and if you own a property.

Read more about paying for care on InformationNOW. This includes top up fees if you want to pay for extra facilities in the care home.

Moving into a care home

Remember to tell people your new address and that you have moved into a care home. You will need to tell your:

Living in a care home

When you move into a care home, it can take a little while for you to settle in. If you are worried about anything talk to a member of staff about your concerns. Talking about any problems can help. The care home may be able to make some changes to improve things for you.

If you want a different room you may need to pay a top up fee if the Council are supporting your placement. For example a room with an en-suite bathroom or a view of the garden.

Inside a Care Home are videos produced by Age UK, which feature three women speaking about what it’s actually like to live in a care home.

If things go wrong

If you feel something has gone wrong, speak to the manager of the care home. If there’s still a problem, you can make a formal complaint to the care home.

Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of care services in England. You can give them feedback about care services on their website. This tells them what and when to inspect services so they can improve care in England.

You can make a complaint to Adult Social Care if your care home is provided by Newcastle City Council.

Care Rights UK help people using care services, their relatives and friends. You can get free, independent advice from their telephone helpline advisers. Email for advice, phone during their opening hours or book a 30 minute appointment using their website.

Read more on how to make a good complaint on InformationNOW.

Safeguarding adults

Are you worried about the safety of an adult in Newcastle?

You can get help if you think adult abuse or domestic abuse is happening to you or someone else.

In an emergency or if someone’s life is at risk call 999.

Report abuse or neglect online to Newcastle City Council

Contact Adult Social Care at Newcastle City Council

Other useful information

NHS social care and support guide explains more about planning your Adult Social Care

EAC Housing Care is a free housing and care advice service. They help older people, their families and friends make choices about their housing and care options. They have a free telephone helpline to talk through your needs and give online information and advice.

PayingForCare is a national information and advice service helping older people make informed choices when faced with having to pay for their own care.

Age UK has more information on finding a care home

Legal & General offer help to find and fund care.

The Council has provided the Legal & General links for information purposes only. Please note that the Council neither recommends nor endorses any products or services accessed via these links. For full details, please see their website advertising statement

Last updated: October 17, 2024

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