Start with registration, not with the decor
Every care home in Scotland is registered with and inspected by the Care Inspectorate. Check first that the home is registered for the care that is actually needed, now and in a couple of years. A home that cannot provide nursing care will mean a second move later if nursing needs develop, and second moves are hard on someone with dementia.
Then read the most recent inspection report, not only the grades. Scotland grades from 1 to 6, where 6 is excellent and 4 is good. The written text tells you far more than the number: what the inspectors saw, what they asked the home to improve, and whether previous requirements were met. Our guide to Care Inspectorate grades explains how to read one properly.
The thing that actually determines quality: the people
Dementia care is delivered by people who know the person. Continuity is therefore not a nice extra; it is the mechanism by which good care works. A home with settled staff will know that a resident always washes before breakfast, gets anxious around four o'clock, and calms down with the radio on.
- How long have the manager and the senior team been in post?
- What is your staff turnover, and how much agency cover do you use, especially at night?
- What dementia training do all colleagues receive, including kitchen, housekeeping and maintenance staff?
- Who leads on dementia practice here, and what have they changed in the last year?
- How do you find out about a new resident's life, work, routines and preferences before they arrive?
- What would you do on a night when someone is distressed and wants to go home?
The last question is the most revealing of all. A weak answer talks about managing behaviour and medication. A strong answer talks about walking with the person, finding out what home means to them at that moment, checking for pain or the toilet, and sitting it out with a cup of tea.
What a dementia-friendly building actually looks like
- Light. Bright, even natural light, and no dark patches or heavy shadows that read as holes in the floor.
- Contrast. Toilet seats, handrails and crockery that stand out against their background, which genuinely helps people find and use them.
- Plain floors. No busy patterns, shiny surfaces or strong changes in floor colour, which can look like steps or water.
- Findable rooms. Personalised bedroom doors, clear signage with pictures as well as words, and short, legible corridors.
- Safe outdoor space. A garden the person can walk into freely, in a loop, without needing to ask.
- Small households. Smaller groups with their own lounge and dining space are far less overwhelming than one large unit.
- Sound. Quiet enough to hold a conversation. Constant television noise is a bad sign.
Look for the small things too: a spoon put in someone's hand rather than a plate taken away, a resident helping to fold towels because they always did, someone's own armchair in their room. Those details tell you how the home thinks.
How to visit properly
- 01
Go twice, at different times
Mid-morning and late afternoon show two completely different homes. Late afternoon is the honest one.
- 02
Eat there if you can
Ask to see a mealtime. How people are supported to eat tells you almost everything about staffing and dignity.
- 03
Watch, do not just listen
Do staff crouch to eye level? Do they use names? Do residents look occupied or parked?
- 04
Bring the person if you can
Even a short visit tells you how they respond, and how the team responds to them.
- 05
Ask about the fee in writing
The weekly fee for that specific room and level of care, what is excluded, the fee review policy and the notice period.
On costs, our care home costs guide explains the Scottish position, including Free Personal Care of £260.30 a week and Free Nursing Care of £117.10 where nursing is needed.