Warmth and support vital in care homes, says Barchester

Good care homes should radiate a warmth and support, the founder of Barchester care homes has said.

Mike Parsons explained that care home residents desire comfortable surroundings where they can entertain family and friends, or merely retreat into a space of their own.

He added that activities are another aspect of good care, with the best homes offering a range of group and individual activities for residents.

"We believe very strongly that people should be able to continue with all the activities they enjoyed in the community, so we make sure that our homes have kitchens where people can cook or help with the washing up and gardens where people can grow flowers and vegetables if they want to," he said.

"People should be able to get out to the shops and to places of worship, too."

This follows an article by Professor of elderly care Graham Mulley on bmj.com, who said that many care homes are proving top quality care, despite negative coverage in the media.

Find the nearest Barchester nursing home.