Care Homes in Cowes

Cowes has 6 CQC registered care homes. 4 are rated Good, 1 Requires improvement, 1 Inadequate. 4 of the 6 were last inspected more than three years ago.

Source: Care Quality Commission register, kept up to date as ratings change.

Arranging a care home place in Cowes and paying for it

There is a sequence to this, and skipping to the end rarely saves time. The money question has two halves: what a home charges, and what anybody else is going to contribute towards it. Neither half can be answered until an assessment has been carried out, which is why the paperwork comes before the viewings.

The care needs assessment

A care needs assessment is the written record of what someone can manage alone and where they need help. You can request one for yourself or for a relative who consents, and there is no charge whatever the household income or savings. The assessor looks at washing, dressing, eating, medication, mobility, continence and how safe the current arrangement really is, then produces a support plan. Ask for a copy, because every home will want to see it before discussing a place.

How the council helps

Assessments and funded placements in Cowes are handled by the Isle of Wight Council Adult Social Care team, which carries out a financial assessment alongside the needs assessment to establish what the household contributes. Income, savings and usually the value of a property are all taken into account, and anyone with capital above the upper threshold pays privately at the outset. Where health needs rather than social care needs dominate, NHS continuing healthcare may be assessed instead. A deferred payment arrangement can sometimes be used where a property has not yet been sold.

What a place is likely to cost

Weekly fees differ by home, by room and by how much support a person needs, so treat any figure quoted on a first telephone call as provisional. Ask each home for a written breakdown showing what the fee includes and what is charged on top, and check how often fees are reviewed. Where the council is contributing, confirm whether the home accepts the rate offered or expects a contribution from a third party.

Choosing between the homes in Cowes and what to look for

Identical ratings are a mixed blessing, reassuring at a glance and no help at all for sorting.

Reading past the rating

Kynance Residential Home, Cherry Blossom Care Home, Hazelwood House, The Moorings Care Home, Powys House Residential Home and Old Charlton House Residential Home are all rated Good. Open each report and read the sections individually rather than resting on the overall judgement, because a home can be rated Good while being noticeably stronger on care than on leadership, or the other way about. Note how recently each inspection took place, since a report from some years back describes the home as it was at that time rather than as it is now.

What to look for when you visit

Go at a busy hour rather than a quiet one, and notice whether residents are occupied or simply sitting. Ask how many carers are on duty overnight, how long the registered manager has been in post, and how many permanent staff have left over the past year. Look at the food, the laundry arrangements and whether people can get outside without having to ask twice. Watch how staff speak to the people already living there, because that single observation reveals more than any brochure.

Care Homes near Cowes

• East Cowes
• Ryde
• Gosport
• Fareham
• Sandown