Council and democracy

Finding the right care home - things you need to consider

Moving away from your own home is a big step, so it's important to consider all the options first. It may be possible that, with extra support, you could manage to remain at home.

Care homes offer board, personal care, support with daily living tasks and nursing care if needed. They should also have a pleasant atmosphere where residents can be happy and still maintain as much independence and involvement with their families as possible.

All care homes are inspected once a year by the Commission for Social Care Inspection, who can give you a list of homes to consider, as well as copies of the inspection reports. You can download inspection reports from their website. Select the link called 'Commission for Social Care Inspection' on the right of this page.

Bettercaring offers a facility for searching for registered residential and nursing homes. Select the link to their website on the right of this page.

Care Choices publishes regional directories of care homes, including one for Hertfordshire. Select the link to their website on the right of this page or contact us for a free copy. For our contact details select the 'Contact us' link on the left of this page.

Adult Care Services may be able to help. If you contact us, our staff will talk to you about your needs and how you are managing. If, after this assessment, moving into a care home is found to be the best option for you, we can provide information and advice to help you find a suitable home and may be able to help towards the costs. For our contact details select the 'Contact us' link on the left of this page.