Care Homes in Totland Bay

Totland Bay has 3 CQC registered care homes. 2 are rated Good, 1 Requires improvement. 2 of the 3 were last inspected more than three years ago.

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

Arranging care in Totland Bay and meeting the cost

Start with the paperwork rather than the viewings. Knowing who assesses the need and who meets the cost will tell you how much of this listing is genuinely available, and it can open up help that families had not realised existed. The assessment itself is free to anyone who appears to need care and support, whatever their savings.

The care needs assessment

The duty to assess rests with Isle of Wight Council adult social care, which works out what help is required, whether the eligibility criteria are met, and what funded support should follow. A request can be made by the person concerned, by a relative, or by a professional such as a general practitioner or a hospital discharge team. A financial assessment runs alongside to establish contributions. A relative providing regular unpaid care is entitled to a carer's assessment in their own name, which is easily overlooked.

How the fees are built up

Charges reflect the home, the room and the level of help required, so ask every provider for a written breakdown and establish what sits outside the basic fee. Where savings and capital fall below the national threshold the council may contribute towards the cost; above it the place is normally funded privately, though a deferred payment arrangement secured against a property can sometimes be agreed. A family member may add a third party contribution towards a better room. Where the need is primarily a health one, NHS continuing healthcare is assessed separately and may apply instead.

Choosing a care home in Totland Bay and what to look for

Making sense of the inspection record

Westview House and Eden House both hold a Good rating. Little Hayes is rated Requires Improvement, which is a reason to read that report carefully rather than to rule the home out, since such findings often concern record keeping or staffing levels and may already have been addressed. Inspectors rate five distinct areas, so look at which were criticised and how serious the findings were, then check the date, because a home can change a good deal between visits. Ask the manager what has altered since inspectors last called.

What to weigh up on a visit

Think about scale as well as rating, since somebody who finds a busy lounge tiring will settle quite differently from somebody who wants company and a full activities programme. Ask what the staffing level is overnight, how long the team have been in post, and what happens when a resident's needs increase. Visit twice if you can, at different times of day, and ask for the contract and the complaints procedure before committing to anything.

Care Homes near Totland Bay

• Lymington
• New Milton