New research has revealed the percentage of over-65s living in care homes is higher in Watford than most places in England and Wales.
The study, by Guild Care, analysed data from the Office of National Statistics Older people living in care homes and changes over time report.
Overall, Worthing has the highest percentage of people 65 and over living in a care home, with 4.70 per cent, or 1,168 out of 24,953.
Blackpool and Hastings have the second-highest numbers, with 4.30pc of over-65s being in care homes.
Eastbourne, Lincoln, and Reigate and Banstead each come in third with 4.10pc.
Watford is joint sixth with 3.80pc.
Kevin Burke, director of Care Homes and Dementia Services at Guild Care, said: “The data supports our experience that there is an increased need for high-quality care home placements.
“It comes as no surprise as we face an ageing population living with complex comorbidities, raising the need for quality care home placements across England and Wales.
“Moving into a care home can be a very difficult decision, but when done at the right time and in the right home, it can be a very positive experience, enabling loved ones to live fulfilling, safe, and secure lives where they can enjoy every day.
“You can rest assured that relatives in our care will be provided with expert nursing and person-centred care, where they’ll also gain a sense of community, reducing loneliness and isolation.”
How to choose a care home
Kevin Burke from Guild Care has shared these top tips for choosing an ideal care home:
1. Location: Make sure the care home is conveniently located for family visits and has good access to medical facilities.
2. Staffing: Check staff-to-resident ratios; having a high ratio will enable your loved one to have the best quality of care and life. It’s also important to look at the staff's expertise and their demeanour towards residents.
3. Personalised Care: Check to see how adaptable the care home is for residents with a variety of needs; for example, does the care home offer nursing and dedicated dementia support to enable a forever home, and will the price increase if needs change?
4. Licencing and Accreditation: Confirm the care home is licenced, meets regulatory standards, and has a clear quality assurance framework. Check resident satisfaction by looking for reviews from sites such as carehome.co.uk.
5. Cleanliness and Safety: Assess the cleanliness and safety of the care home, including communal areas, resident rooms, and outside spaces.
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