People considering the move into residential care will be in widely varying
circumstances, and will consequently have a very wide range of information needs.
Implicit in much of the discussion of these needs is the idea that the information is
required so that the people concerned can choose their preferred option. This
assumption will be examined in some detail later - for the moment, the important
point is that enabling choice is only one reason why people need information. Just
as important is the role information plays in preparing the client and their carers for
what is obviously a major transition.
Many people will need to know about alternatives to residential care, in order to
assess whether or not moving into a residential home is the preferred or necessary
option. Assuming that the client is going to move into a home, they and their carers
will then need a great deal of information. As a first step, they will need to know what
homes are available. This will cover homes run by voluntary organisations and
private companies as well as those run by the local authority. It may also include
homes in other areas.
Having established what homes there are, potential residents will need a great deal
of detailed information about them, in order to form an idea of what life in the home
will involve. This detailed information can be divided into a number of categories.
People will need factual information about regulations and procedures, and about
what facilities are available. This will include information about meal times and
menus, and about activities in the home, for example. They will also need to know
about the ‘quality of life’ in the home. This is a fairly vague idea which encompasses
the atmosphere of the home, the standard of care, what the staff and other residents
are like, and so on. Carers are particularly likely to need confirmation that the quality
of care will be as high as the care they have been providing.