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Before the Move: Choosing a Care Home and Preparing
Finding the Right Home for Your Care Needs
When choosing a care home, visit several local care homes to find out what life at each care home is like. The right home should offer the level of care and support you need, whether that's residential care, nursing care, or specialist dementia care. During your visits, familiarise yourself with the care home's approach to personalised care and ask about their care plans.
Look for care homes that:
- Provide exceptional care tailored to individual residents
- Offer person-centred dementia care if needed
- Have experienced care home staff who make residents feel at home
- Include activities and social opportunities to help you meet other residents
- Allow you to bring your favourite personal items to help your room feel more homely
Trial Stays Before You Move
Before making the move permanent, consider respite care or a short trial stay. This lets you experience what the new care home is really like and helps you feel more comfortable before you move into your new home. Many care homes allow trial visits so you can ensure the care home is a suitable care home for your needs.
Create Your Care Home Checklist
A proper 'moving into a care home checklist' helps ensure nothing is forgotten. Here's what you'll need to arrange:
Essential Tasks: Who to Inform When Moving into a Care Home
Update Your Address with Key Organisations
When you're moving to care homes, you need to inform several organisations of your new address. This change of address process is crucial to ensure you continue receiving the support you need:
Healthcare providers:
- Register with a new GP if the care home is outside your current GP's catchment area
- Inform your dentist, optician, and any specialists
- Update records with your pharmacy
- Notify healthcare professionals involved in your care
Financial and legal services:
- Contact your bank and building society
- Update insurance providers (including home insurance if you're keeping your property)
- Inform your pension provider
- Notify the Department for Work and Pensions
- Apply for council tax exemption if applicable
- Update the register to vote service with your new address
Utilities and service providers:
- Contact utility companies if you're keeping your previous home
- Cancel or transfer TV licence
- Set up a Royal Mail redirection service
- Inform broadband and phone providers
Local council:
- Update your local council about your move
- Discuss any changes to benefits or paying for care arrangements
Your Care Home Packing Checklist: What to Bring
Most care homes are fully furnished, but bringing personal items helps your room feel like home from the start. Let the care home know what you plan to bring, as they can advise on available space.
Essential Items
Clothing:
- Everyday clothes and shoes for all seasons
- Nightwear and slippers
- Coats and outdoor clothing
- Accessories
Personal care:
- Toiletries and grooming items
- Medication (the care home will typically manage this)
- Hearing aids, glasses, and walking aids
Personal items to decorate your room:
- Favourite photographs
- Ornaments and decorations
- Small pieces of furniture (check space availability)
- Blankets, cushions, or throws
- Books, magazines, or hobby materials
Electronics:
- TV, radio, or music player
- Tablet or laptop
- Chargers for all devices
Most care homes allow residents to personalise their space, so bring items that help you feel comfortable in your new environment.
Moving Day: Making the Move Go Smoothly
On moving day itself, having everything prepared helps reduce stress for everyone involved. Pack belongings the day before so the morning remains calm.
Arrival at the care home:
- Arrange for a familiar staff member to greet you
- Introduce yourself to other residents you may have met during visits
- Take time to explore the facilities at your own pace
Setting up your room:
- Unpack personal items and arrange them to make the space feel familiar
- Care home staff can help you settle in and answer questions
- Some care homes allow you to bring small furniture items to make the room feel more personal
First mealtime:
- Join other residents for your first meal
- This is a natural opportunity to meet other residents in a relaxed setting
- Care home staff can introduce you to people with similar interests
Helping Your Loved One Settle into Care Homes
If you're supporting someone else's move, resist visiting during the first week or two. This gives them time to adjust without feeling torn between their old life and new surroundings. Visiting too soon can make them think you've come to take them home, which can be upsetting when you leave.
For someone living with dementia, trial day visits before the move can make the transition far less stressful. Adult day care or respite services help familiarise them with the care home before they go into a care home permanently.
After the Move: Settling into Your New Care Home
The First Few Weeks
It typically takes 4-8 weeks to fully adjust to life in care homes. During this time:
- Participate in activities that interest you
- Get to know staff and other residents gradually
- Establish routines that work for you
- Communicate any concerns to care home staff
What Ashberry Care Homes Offer
At Ashberry Care Homes, we understand that moving into a care home is a significant life change. Our care home offers:
- Personalised care plans tailored to each resident
- Experienced teams providing residential care, nursing care, and dementia care
- Activities and social opportunities to help you feel engaged
- Beautiful spaces including gardens for walks
- Support to continue enjoying hobbies and interests
We provide exceptional care across our care homes in Warrington, Hindhead, Hereford, Llandovery, and Wolverhampton. Each care home could become your new home, offering the care services and support to help you feel comfortable from day one.
Our approach to care and support focuses on listening to residents and providing the personalised care they want and need. We encourage participation in activities at whatever level feels comfortable, whether that's joining group events or enjoying quieter pursuits.
Our Care Home Locations
Find the right care home near you:
- Meadowview in Warrington
- Moorhouse in Hindhead
- Holmer Court and Broomy Hill in Hereford
- Blaenos House in Llandovery
- Engelberg in Wolverhampton
Each location provides luxury care in a welcoming environment where residents feel at home from the moment they arrive.
Making Your Decision
Choosing to move into a care home means accessing professional care and support that helps maintain quality of life. Whether you need residential care, nursing care, or specialist dementia care, the right care home provides both practical support and a genuine sense of community.
Taking time to choose carefully, preparing thoroughly with a care home checklist, and approaching the move with an open mind all help make the transition smoother.
Book a Visit to One of Our Care Homes
We'd love to welcome you to visit our care homes and see firsthand what life is like at Ashberry. Contact a care home today to arrange a visit and speak with our teams about your care needs.
Enquire Today About Residential Care
If you or your loved one need support, our residential care team is here to help. Drop us a message today for more information or to book a visit.
Learn More About Residential Care
How much does residential care cost?
Discover more about average costs and fees for residential care at one of Ashberry Healthcare's care homes, and learn more about funding support.
The benefits of residential care for your loved one
Learn more about advantages of residential care, where at Ashberry Healthcare we aim to be a home from home for our residents.
When should someone move into a care home?
Understanding the right time to move into residential care and what factors to consider.
Care Services at Ashberry Care Homes
Need Help Finding the Right Care Home?
At Ashberry Care Homes, we look after your loved ones with care focused on dignity, sensitivity and independence.
We understand the concerns that people have when choosing a care home either for themselves or for a loved one. In our care, residents and their families are at the heart of everything we do and are always treated with respect and consideration.
Get in touch to discuss how we can support you.
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