Last updated 13 November 2025
Visiting a care home for the first time
Visiting a care home is one of the most important steps in deciding whether it’s the right place for you or your loved one.
Being shown around a care home can be an experience filled with questions, hopes, and understandable concerns. It can also make the move feel very real. You may have spent a long time thinking, researching and talking as a family about residential care options but actually visiting a care home can feel like a big step. That’s why preparing for your visit thoughtfully can make all the difference.
Seeing the environment in person, meeting staff, and observing day-to-day life provides a deeper insight into what a care home can provide for you or a loved one; the care and support, the lifestyle and the peace of mind.
At Anchor, we ensure your visit will be welcoming, informative and reassuring, so you can feel confident about your choice. This guide offers practical advice and compassionate guidance to help you get the most from your time visiting our homes and make informed choices with confidence and clarity.
In this guide you’ll find:
- Preparing for your care home visit
- What to look out for in a care home visit
- Questions to ask staff and management
- Scheduling a follow up visit
- Visiting an Anchor care home
Preparing for your care home visit
A well-prepared visit will enable you to make the most of your time at the care home.
Arranging a visit
While many of our homes welcome walk-in visits, a pre-arranged tour tends to be more relaxed and focused. It can be useful to see daily life at different times of the day but it’s also important to remember that you are visiting someone's home. There may be set routines in place that existing residents have requested and value; such as quiet times, or routines that care teams use to support residents’ independence, for example some of our homes have protected mealtimes.
Booking a tour also gives you an opportunity to provide some details ahead of your visit which can help the home understand what you’re looking for, what you’d like to see and talk about, and ensure that a member of the team is available to support you fully.
At Anchor, visits can be arranged through our care homes, our central enquiries team or online form. We’ll work with you to find a time that suits your family, and we always encourage bringing your loved one along.
What to look for during a care home visit
See how residents spend their time
It’s natural to be curious about how residents spend their time. Are people engaged in activities, chatting, or relaxing comfortably? What is the atmosphere like? Could you see yourself or your loved one being content with daily life here? A calm, respectful, and friendly environment is a strong sign of good care.
Meet our teams
During your visit, you’ll have chance to see how our colleagues work with residents. We are very proud of the caring team of professionals working across Anchor's care homes. Our dedicated carers are given a thorough induction programme and receive ongoing training and support to build their knowledge, skills and confidence to ensure that residents receive the best possible care. We specially select colleagues for their personal qualities, such as being instinctively warm with a natural desire to help others, and on your visit you should get a sense of their personality and passion for providing great care.
Observe the care home community
A good care home has a sense of community where residents are treated with dignity and kindness. Look for shared spaces that encourage interaction, such as lounges, gardens, or activity rooms, where people naturally gather. At Anchor we aim to make our communal spaces inviting and homely, not sterile or overly structured, and want them to be well used. Could you see yourself or your loved one fitting in here? Could you imagine spending time in these spaces getting to know other residents and forming bonds with the staff?
Care home activities and events
Find out about daily activities and events. A home with a strong sense of community will offer a variety of options tailored to individual interests and needs, such as music therapy, art classes, gardening clubs, or reminiscence sessions. Depending on what time of day you visit one of our homes you will be able to see different activities being enjoyed.
At Anchor, our care homes are known for the active lifestyle and choice they offer residents.. Our colleagues work with residents to plan and organise wellness activity and events which match individual and group interests, both in the care home as well as in the local community.
Residents are supported to continue doing all the things they enjoy, and presented with ideas for new activities and ways interests and hobbies can be expanded upon and horizons broadened. Families are welcome to join activities at our homes too, helping create a strong community spirit and maintain important family bonds, so you may get to meet other relatives on your visit.
Read more about our approach to wellness and activities today.
Questions to ask care home staff and management
During your visit, you’ll meet members of the Anchor team, who will be happy to answer your questions and explain how our homes are run.
Care home staffing ratios and specialists
Asking questions about staffing at our homes can help you feel confident that care will always be on hand. You may want to ask about the ratio of staff to residents, whether staff are available 24/7, and how residents can alert our team when assistance is needed.
At Anchor, our homes have registered managers and carers on-site 24/7. Staff receive ongoing training, including dementia awareness, so you can be confident your loved one will always have access to the right support.
Care home care plans
Ask how individual care plans are created and reviewed. At Anchor, plans are developed in partnership with residents and families and updated regularly to reflect changing needs. This ensures personalised, consistent care.
Management of emergencies and medical circumstances
It’s important to understand how emergencies are handled. What’s the process for calling doctors or dealing with incidents in the home? Do trained professionals manage medications?
Anchor homes have clear protocols for contacting GPs, responding to incidents such as falls, and administering medication, all managed by trained professionals.
Care home fees and costs
Transparency is central to Anchor’s approach, and a care home visit is a good time to ask any questions you have around fees and care home funding options. During your visit, we’ll explain what’s included in our care home fees, how any additional charges work, and how we communicate fee changes, so families can plan with confidence.
Care options available
Ask about the types of care available at the home, such as support for specific conditions. Everyone’s needs are different, and Anchor provides a range of care types, including tailored dementia support. Many of our homes are designed with dementia-friendly features such as clear signage, safe spaces to walk, and calm, welcoming décor.
Scheduling a follow-up visit
One visit gives you a first impression, but a second visit perhaps in the evening or at the weekend will show you what life is like at different times of day. At Anchor, we actively encourage follow-up visits so families can explore more fully. Your loved one is welcome to join again, perhaps to take part in an activity, enjoy a meal, or meet other residents and families.
Some of our homes also offer short trial stays, giving you a real sense of how daily life feels at Anchor. If this is something that could be helpful for you or your loved one, speak to the care home manager to learn more about how short trial stays are organised in their home, how long they usually last and room availability.
Visiting an Anchor care home
Choosing the right home is a big decision, and Anchor is here to support you through every stage of the process. Our care homes are designed to provide not just safety and support, but also a sense of belonging because everyone deserves to live well, regardless of their age or circumstances.
Contact our friendly team or visit anchor.org.uk/care-homes to find a care home near you to arrange a visit.
