Care Home Interview Questions

When it comes to making decisions about the care and wellbeing of our elderly loved ones, every consideration is of paramount importance. Selecting a care home is a significant step, and asking the right care home interview questions can make all the difference in ensuring your loved one’s comfort, safety, and happiness. The answers to care home interview questions can also give you the peace of mind that you’re looking for.

But what should you ask?

Here we outline a comprehensive list of care home interview questions, including why each question matters. To make it easier to determine what you’re looking for, we’ve also included examples of what’s on offer at Eastleigh Care Homes.

Care Home Interview Questions

1. What types of care do you offer?

Importance: Understanding the range of care services available is crucial to ensuring that your loved one’s unique needs are met. Enquire about the specific types of care, such as close care, residential, palliative, nursing, and specialist dementia care.

Eastleigh Care Homes take pride in offering a comprehensive selection of care options, tailored to each individual’s requirements. This ensures that your loved one’s needs can be met over time.

2. What are your staff-to-resident ratios?

Importance: Adequate staffing levels ensure that residents receive the attention, care, and support they deserve. Enquiring about staff-to-resident ratios helps you gauge whether the care home can provide personalised attention and maintain a high standard of care. There are typically more staff-to-residents in nursing care compared to residential care.

3. What enrichment programmes do you offer?

Importance: Engaging activities and programmes contribute to a fulfilling and vibrant quality of life for residents. Mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing thrive when residents are provided with opportunities for social interaction, creativity, and intellectual stimulation and even exercise.

Eastleigh Care Homes are renowned for their commitment to offering a diverse range of enrichment activities, fostering a lively and enjoyable environment that enhances residents’ lives. A good way of seeing what activities are offered to residents is to check out their Facebook page. Take a look at ours!

4. What is the feel and atmosphere of the care home?

Importance: The atmosphere and feel of a care home significantly impact residents’ overall experience and also affect your peace of mind. A warm, welcoming, and family-oriented environment can provide comfort and reassurance to your loved one.

Eastleigh Care Homes excel in creating a close-knit family feel, offering a nurturing atmosphere where residents are treated with dignity, compassion, and genuine care.

5. How often are visitors welcome?

Importance: Closely related to the above question, families, friends and loved ones should be very much part of the feel of the care home. Visits should be welcomed and relationships between staff and families should be considered important. Look to see if families are included in things like celebratory events to give you a good idea of whether visitors are considered important.

6. Can residents personalise their living space?

Importance: Personalisation of living spaces allows residents and their families to create a comfortable and familiar environment, promoting a sense of ownership and comfort. This is particularly important for residents with dementia. As such this is one of the most important care home interview questions.

At Eastleigh we are often praised for our high-quality and luxury home decorations and furnishings. Additionally, residents often have their own pictures, photos, ornaments, soft accessories and even small items of furniture.

7. What meal options and dietary support are available?

Importance: Nutrition plays a vital role in health and wellbeing for care home residents. Enquire about meal options, dietary accommodations, and how the care home supports residents’ nutritional needs.

At Eastleigh, our resident chefs are popular members of staff! They create wonderful menus that cater to everyone. As you’ll see from our sample menu, we really are spoilt! We even include a glass of sherry or wine if wanted and appropriate!

8. How do you address medical emergencies and health needs?

Importance: Knowing how the care home handles medical emergencies and health of their residents provides reassurance that your loved one will receive prompt and appropriate care in critical situations. Additionally, understanding how medications are managed helps ensure that your loved one receives the right treatments at the right times.

Look to determine that the home in question has good links with the community health teams. They should have regular visits from a local GP, for example.

9. Are there gardens and outdoor spaces?

Importance: Access to outdoor spaces and gardens can enhance an individual’s quality of life, offering opportunities for fresh air, relaxation, and sensory experiences. Ask if there are accessible paths and how they ensure those with limited mobility can enjoy the outdoor space.

At Eastleigh our green-fingered residents even have their own gardening club!

10. How to you address cognitive or memory care needs?

Importance: If memory care is required, enquire about how your loved one will be supported. For example, at Eastleigh Care Home we are proud of the reminiscence therapy we offer, as well as dementia-friendly lighting and furnishings.

11. How do you involve families in the care planning process and how will you communicate with us?

Importance: Family involvement in care planning fosters collaboration, transparency, and a sense of partnership between the care home and loved ones. Furthermore, effective communication between the care home and families ensures that you remain informed about your loved one’s wellbeing, bringing you peace of mind. As such, these care home interview questions are particularly important.

12. How do you approach privacy and dignity?

Importance: Respecting residents’ privacy and dignity is essential, even though they may struggle with personal care. Asking this question helps you learn how the care home upholds these principles. It helps you feel confident that your loved one will be treated with compassion, dignity and respect. As part of this, it may be important to ask how end-of-life care is managed to ensure that your loved one’s wishes and preferences are respected, and that appropriate support is available during this sensitive time.

Choosing the Right Care

Choosing the right care home for your elderly loved one requires thorough consideration and thoughtful questions. By asking these care home interview questions, you can make an informed decision that provides your loved one with the highest standard of care.

Our team are here to help. Our friendly carers and experts are just a phone call away. Get in touch today.