We understand that deciding to move a loved one into a care home or supported living environment is a significant step. Families and legal representatives, such as deputies or attorneys, often carry much of the responsibility for supporting that decision and for staying involved afterwards. Karuna Care London welcomes this involvement. We see families and representatives as key partners before, during and after any placement.
Below is an outline of how you can be involved and what you can expect once the service is operational.
Being involved in the referral process
For most local authority funded placements, the initial referral will come from a social worker or care manager. As a family member or representative, you have an important role in supporting your relative through this process. With the consent of the person being referred, you will be encouraged to join discussions and attend assessment visits, whether they take place in the person’s current setting or at Karuna Care London.
Your knowledge of your loved one is invaluable. You can tell us about their personality, routines, likes and dislikes, cultural or religious needs, and the things that help them feel safe and settled. These details often do not appear in formal assessment reports but are crucial for planning good care.
If you are starting the search for care yourself, for example for a self‑funding relative, you can contact us directly for information about our service model and how to involve the local authority in a needs and funding assessment. We will explain the referral steps and work alongside social services so that everyone has a shared understanding of the plan.
Role in decision making
We believe that decisions about care should be person centred, with the individual’s wishes at the heart of any move. Families and representatives often provide vital support in understanding options, weighing up risks and benefits, and helping the person to express what matters to them.
Once our assessment is complete and, if we are able to offer a place, the decision to accept that offer will involve the prospective resident and, where appropriate, their family or representative. We will invite you to be present when we explain the proposed placement, the care plan, the services we can provide and any house rules or contractual terms. You can help your loved one to understand what is being suggested and to consider whether it feels right for them.
If the person lacks capacity to make some or all of the decisions involved, we will work within the Mental Capacity Act. This may include best interest decision‑making, and involving you as a consultee or decision‑maker if you hold the relevant authority as attorney or deputy. Throughout, we will keep you informed about the stage of the referral, the outcome of our assessments and any reasons why we may or may not be able to proceed.
Visiting arrangements
Maintaining family relationships is central to residents’ wellbeing. Once Karuna Care London is open, we intend to operate a visiting approach that is as open and flexible as is safe and practical. Families and close friends will usually be able to visit regularly, with sensible structures in place to respect mealtimes, personal care, privacy and infection prevention.
When your relative moves in, we will explain our visiting guidelines, including any sign‑in procedures for security and any temporary health and safety measures that may be necessary. We aim to accommodate family visits as much as possible, and where you cannot attend in person, we will support virtual contact such as video calls. During the early settling‑in period, we often encourage more frequent, shorter visits, as familiar faces can make the adjustment easier.
Over time, you and your relative can establish a visiting pattern that works for everyone. Families will also be invited, where appropriate, to join special events, celebrations or outings, as these shared experiences can be particularly meaningful.
Ongoing communication and involvement
Your involvement does not end once a placement begins. Each resident will have a key worker, a member of staff who gets to know them well and acts as a main point of contact for you. The key worker, alongside the management team, will keep you updated about your relative’s general wellbeing and any important changes or concerns.
We expect to hold care review meetings, for example around six weeks after admission and then at agreed intervals. You and the social worker will be invited to these reviews to discuss how things are going and whether any changes to the care plan are needed. We will also contact you promptly if there are significant changes in health, incidents, or planned hospital admissions, so that you are not taken by surprise.
With the resident’s consent, you will be able to see and comment on their care plan. We welcome your input if you notice changes or have new information that could help us tailor support more closely to their needs and preferences.
Our aim is to keep a clear, honest and respectful dialogue with families and representatives. By working together, we can help ensure that each resident’s support network remains active and that the care they receive is both person centred and family informed.