How Worthing charity Guild Care supports your family when choosing care for a loved one

They may also struggle to understand when it’s the right time and what they need to know when looking for the right home.

It can seem daunting when you don’t know where to begin or what options are out there. That’s why we encourage families to come to us with lots of questions – wherever they are in the process.

Some may be planning ahead, knowing that their loved one will soon reach the stage where permanent care is required. Others may have a parent or spouse who is already in hospital, so they need to find a more immediate solution.

From initial conversations, we can determine which of our care homes is right for each individual. For example, if someone is living with dementia, we would recommend Haviland House, our specialist dementia care home.

Alternatively, if someone isn’t ready to move into permanent care or they want to get a feel for what being part of the Guild Care family is like, they could try one of our respite care services.

Cat Walsh is our head of customer service and the first port of call for anyone considering a move into one of our three care homes – Haviland House, Linfield House or Caer Gwent.

Cat says: “Initial conversations with families can last from a couple of weeks to months, depending on their circumstances, as we like to make sure this is the right move for everyone involved. We also need to manage some situations delicately with people coming to us at times of high stress and uncertainty.

“For instance, a lady contacted us after her sister, who was living in another care home, was diagnosed with dementia. It was essential that she made the correct decision, given her sister’s evolving needs, so she was looking for our advice.

“We’re always there to listen and offer support – even if someone doesn’t end up living with us in one of our homes. For those that do, I particularly enjoy meeting the new residents face to face for the first time. I always feel like I’ve known them for years from the conversations I’ve had with their family.”

One of our resident’s family members underlines how understanding the needs of each resident really makes a difference not just to the person, but also the family when moving into a care home: “I have peace of mind that my mum is receiving the utmost professional care from staff and management. If needed, the nursing staff are there 24/7 and any health concerns are dealt with quickly and with a caring attitude. The staff are always ready to listen and aware of my mum’s needs which can be complex. My mum says she is very happy, which speaks volumes.”

For more information about Guild Care’s care homes or our services, please contact our friendly enquiries team on 01903 327327 or email [email protected]