Visiting a care home for the first time can feel like a big step. It’s natural to want reassurance that you’re making the right choice for your family. At HC-One, we understand that these visits are deeply personal moments.
They’re also the best way to get a real feel for a home: how it looks, sounds, and, most importantly, how it feels.
This guide shares five essential questions to ask when visiting a care home, so you can make an informed, confident decision about the right place for you or your loved one.
Why visiting a care home matters
Every care home is unique. An in-person visit gives you a genuine sense of the community, the atmosphere, and the people who live and work there. According to the Care Quality Commission (CQC), open communication and family involvement are signs of a good care provider.
At HC-One, our family of care homes have an open-door approach - welcoming visits, encouraging questions, and helping families see exactly what daily life looks like.
Understanding care home standards
Across the UK, care homes are regulated by independent bodies such as the CQC in England and the Care Inspectorate in Scotland and Wales. These organisations check that homes meet high standards of safety, dignity, and care.
During your visit, look for small details that say a lot: friendly conversations between colleagues and residents, a calm and homely environment, and meaningful activities taking place.
Five essential questions to ask during your visit:
1. Can I meet the team and understand their roles?
This question helps you understand the care team working in the home - who they are, what they do, as well as get a feel for the community within the home. This is also a chance to ask about ongoing professional development and training. You’ll quickly get a sense of whether colleagues are passionate about their roles and supported to deliver the very best care.
2. How is care personalised for each resident?
Good care is never one-size-fits-all. Each person’s story, preferences, and routines should shape how care is delivered. Ask how the team gets to know new residents and how they personalise daily activities, meals, and support.
Look for signs that care teams know residents by name and genuinely understand their likes, dislikes, and habits. To hear more about what this means at a HC-One care home, find out more about our approach to caring with kindness.
3. What activities are available?
Meaningful activities play a vital role in wellbeing. A good care home will have a range of social opportunities, from creative arts and music sessions to gardening, gentle exercise, and reminiscence projects.
In HC-One care homes, activities are designed to support independence, connection, and spark joy. Our care homes have strong ties to their local communities, with people living in our homes staying connected with regular trips out or opening our doors to host events in the home.
4. How do you accommodate dietary needs and preferences?
Food brings people together, and great dining experiences make a huge difference to wellbeing. Ask about menu options, how special diets are managed, and whether residents have input into meal planning. Good quality dining in a HC-One care home isn’t just about nutrition, it’s about enjoyment, dignity, and choice.
5. What safety and wellbeing measures are in place?
Safety covers everything from managing medications to accessibility and emergency planning. But it also includes emotional wellbeing - helping residents feel safe, cared for, and valued.
During your visit, notice how colleagues interact with residents, how clean and well-maintained the home feels, and how open the team are in answering your questions.
How to book a visit
Are you looking to find out if your local care home could be the right place for you or a family member? You can book a visit to your local HC-One care home to meet the team and find out more about daily life in our home.
Contact our friendly team of Care Advisors on 0333 999 8699.
What does a happy care home look like?
When visiting a care home, trust your instincts. A happy home usually feels warm, relaxed, and full of life. You’ll see friendly conversations between residents and team members, a clean, welcoming environment that feels lived-in, not like a clinic.
You’ll also see residents enjoying activities or chatting in shared spaces, and genuine smiles and laughter that come naturally. These are all signs of a place where people feel safe, supported, and at home.
Making an informed decision
Visiting a care home gives you confidence that your loved one will be surrounded by people who truly care. At HC-One, our teams take the time to understand what matters most to each person right from the very first visit — helping them live their best possible life in comfort and companionship.
Ready to find out more? Explore our family of care homes using our helpful search tool, and contact our team to book a care home visit today.