Question 1

Can Medway Council fund a care home placement?

Accepted Answer

It can, where both a care needs assessment and a financial assessment support it. The needs assessment must establish that residential care is the appropriate form of support, and the financial assessment then examines capital, income and usually the value of a property. Where capital falls below the national upper threshold, Medway Council contributes towards the fees through a personal budget. Families who expect to pay privately should still request an assessment, because it records the level of need before circumstances change.

Question 2

How do I arrange a care needs assessment in Medway?

Accepted Answer

Contact the adult social care team at Medway Council and ask for a care needs assessment. Anyone who appears to need care is entitled to one, and a relative, friend or attorney may request it on their behalf. It is free and savings make no difference to entitlement, so it should not be skipped on the assumption that the family will be funding the placement. Keep the written outcome, because it unlocks any funded support and describes the care needed in terms a home can answer.

Question 3

How far ahead should we start looking at care homes in Medway?

Accepted Answer

Earlier than most families do, and particularly here, where results differ sharply between homes. A planned move allows time for assessments, repeat visits and a careful reading of inspection reports. Where a hospital discharge is dictating the timetable, the search can be squeezed into days. Having three or four homes shortlisted in advance, with fees confirmed and reports read, keeps a fast decision from becoming a poorly informed one.

Question 4

Which care homes in Medway are listed on this page?

Accepted Answer

Fifty one registered residential care homes appear here, the complete field currently registered with the Care Quality Commission for this care type in Medway. They include Park View Care Home, Hawthorn Manor Residential Home, Millstream House, PILS Care and Sir Evelyn Road. Each profile carries the provider name, the care type and the current CQC rating. Opening a profile is the quickest way to see what a home is registered to provide before contacting it.

Question 5

What should we ask when visiting a care home in Medway?

Accepted Answer

Ask about staffing first, because it sits behind almost every other question: how many carers are on duty by day and overnight, how much agency cover is relied on, and how long the manager has been in post. Ask how care plans are written and reviewed, and how families are told when something changes. Where a home is rated below Good, ask what the inspector found and what has been done about it. On cost, ask what the weekly fee includes and what is charged separately.

Question 6

What is the difference between a residential care home and a nursing home?

Accepted Answer

A residential care home provides accommodation with personal care, so help with washing, dressing, medication, meals and company, with staff on duty day and night. A nursing home offers the same and keeps a registered nurse on the premises, which is what allows it to manage wound care, catheters, feeding tubes and complex medication. Every home listed on this page is registered for residential care rather than nursing. Where clinical needs look likely to grow, ask a home what happens if someone needs more than its registration allows.

Care Homes in Medway

54 care homes in Medway (showing 51–54)