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Making the decision to move into residential care can be an emotional one for the whole family. Or, if the responsibility has fallen to you to decide on behalf of a relative, we understand how stressful that can be, too! Although many people choose residential care as the obvious next step, others resist it – or face opposition from their families. If the move is for you, you may well be mourning the loss of your ability to look after yourself at home. Or you might be fearful about what this step could mean for your independence.
Family members commonly feel guilty about not being able to look after their relative or are simply relieved that they will be getting the care they need. It is important to talk openly and honestly about your feelings, and we understand how conflicting these can be. It’s best to review all your options with your family so that you can make an informed decision together. Do come and visit us and discuss your needs with the home manager so you can work out together whether a particular home for you. Visit the home at least once, if possible, and get a feel for life here before making up your mind.
We have helped countless families through the process of seeing their loved one moving into residential care and we really do understand what you are going through.
Families with Power of Attorney can use our Relatives Gateway to access their loved ones’ care plans and any aspect of their care including meals, wellbeing and activities. This two-way portal is a great way to help you keep in touch with your relative. It provides access to their day-to-day notes and information about their care including meals, daily routine and wellbeing activities. You can respond by making comments, sending messages, asking questions and uploading photos.
To gain access to Relatives’ Gateway relatives need a Power of Attorney or permission from their loved one. If you are interested in finding out more, please click here or contact the home manager.
Relatives GatewayWe understand how difficult it can be for relatives to see a loved one with dementia. When someone no longer recognises you, or their personality changes, it is natural to grieve for the person you feel you are losing. We spend time helping families to come to terms with what is happening, and how to handle it. You are very much part of the home’s family, too. Our residents’ needs come first, but you will always be welcome to visit and talk to the care teams about any aspect of your loved one’s care.
Losing a loved one is always hard. If they have been ill for a long time it is quite usual to have mixed feelings about their death. We have many years’ experience of helping family and friends through those first difficult weeks and months after the death of a loved one in our care homes. We know it helps to talk about your feelings, whether to share happy memories of your loved one or feelings of loss and guilt, and can also help you to deal with your grief in other ways. We completely understand, and our caring staff are here for the families as well as for our residents.
In fact, we often feel the same way. We become very close to our residents, and treat them as our own family members. Even if someone hasn’t lived with us for very long, their nursing, care and activities teams spend a lot of time with them, and caring for them creates a very personal bond. When a resident passes, as well as dealing with it in our professional capacities, we grieve for them, too. We miss them, but we appreciate the privilege of being the people to care for them in their last days.
Download our guide on bereavement
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