Your Parent’s First Week in a Care Home | A Simple Guide for Families
If your parent has just moved into a care home, the first week can feel a bit strange.
And you’re likely wondering what’s happening day to day or how they’re coping when you’re not there.
Keep reading for a simple look at what the first week in a care home is really like and how care staff help new residents feel comfortable and at ease.
How Do Care Homes Help New Residents Settle In?
Care homes start with small, familiar details that make moving in less daunting. Carers spend time getting to know each person, their routine, how they like their tea, what helps them relax and then build these into their daily life. Families are always encouraged to visit and bring personal touches from home. Remember, it’s a gradual process that must be centred on comfort and trust rather than rushing your loved one to adapt straight away.
What Happens on Day One
Moving day can be tiring, so most homes keep things low-key with staff concentrating on getting your parent comfortable before anything else:
Arrival
When you arrive, someone from the team will be there to meet you. The room’s ready and furnished, nutritious meals planned and there’s plenty of time for a quick chat before unpacking anything.
Introductions
Your loved one will usually be shown around the home and meet a few people they’ll regularly interact with, like the carers who’ll be with them most days and maybe a nurse or activity coordinator.
Family time
If you can, try to stick around for a little while. Having you nearby helps, even if it’s just to talk through small details or share a familiar routine, like having a cuppa or some lunch.
Getting settled
Later on, a member of staff will sit down with you to go through the personal bits (this may have already been taken before the move) that make care feel more individual. This will include favourite foods, daily habits, allergies, religious needs and what it is that helps your parent relax, ensuring a well-rounded care plan that allows them to thrive in their new home.
Settling into Daily Life
After the first few days, residents should start to find their feet:
Getting into a rhythm
Care homes usually follow a routine without rushing anyone, including meals, which happen at regular times, with residents choosing whether to eat in the dining room or their own space. And there could be light activities in the morning or a chat over tea in the afternoon. The point isn’t to fill every moment of the day to keep them occupied, but rather to build safety and predictability through the day until they get used to everything in their own time.
Feeling part of things
Some residents will join in with group activities straight away and others prefer to watch from the side until they feel comfortable, which is totally fine. Staff tend to keep an eye out for shared interests, for example, two residents who like gardening or someone who always reads the paper after breakfast and use those moments to encourage friendships to form naturally.
Adapting as they go
The first week is also a time when staff notice what needs tweaking with a resident’s care or routine. Maybe mornings are better taken slowly or meals work better at a quieter table, which can be beneficial for residents with dementia. It’s these small changes that make the biggest difference to how settled your parent will feel.
Keeping families close
Homes often stay in touch with family during this period with quick updates or calls, just to let families know how things are going, helping to see the move as a shared process rather than something your parent had no control over or say in. When keeping families involved, the transition feels smoother for everyone.
Staying Connected with Family
In the first week, it can be hard to know how much contact to have. Families want to check in to make sure everything’s all right and see how their parent is coping. But at the same time, it’s important to let them settle without too many changes or interruptions.
Luckily, care homes have experience in this department and will help you to find a rhythm that works best for both sides.
Most care homes let you visit whenever you like, though shorter visits tend to work better at first. Some relatives pop in for a quick chat after lunch or watch some TV together for a while before dinner. If your parent had to move to a care home in a different area, distance or timing can make that tricky, so a call in the evening or even a short video chat will keep your parent connected to familiar voices.
Staff might ring to let you know how the move is going or mention a small thing that made your parent happy. Everyday updates allow families to picture what life in the home looks like and ease some of the worry and guilt that come with handing over day-to-day care.
Once your loved one is more settled, visits will become easier to plan and less about checking in. You’ll find small routines that work, maybe that’ll be tea in the garden or lunch on Sundays as they start to feel like ordinary parts of the week again.
The Start of Feeling at Home
Your parent’s first week in a care home can take some getting used to, but most families find it settles sooner than they expect. Once routines fall into place and familiar friendly faces become part of their day, life starts to feel normal again. What helps most is consistent care and open communication with your parent, their family and staff, while giving your parent time to adjust in their own way.
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