For many in their senior years, moving to live in a nursing home is the best thing they can do to maintain their quality of life. There's really no substitute for having around the clock professional care in a caring home, especially if there are serious health issues involved. But it's not always easy to find a nursing home that offers everything you need.

If you or your family have decided that moving to a nursing home is the best option for you, here's a checklist you can use to determine whether the facilities at the care home are all you need for a happy and comfortable life.

The first thing you should be concerned about is mobility. This is especially true if you have difficulty getting around and need a walker or wheelchair.

So the first thing you should determine is whether accommodation is available on the ground floor of the premises. Living on the ground floor will go a long way towards making you life comfortable at the nursing home.

Otherwise you have to consider the number and location of lifts on the premises. Spending a long time waiting for lifts or finding them always full can be very frustrating, not to say dangerous, for older people who might have emergency needs.

Then there's the matter of toilets. Adequate, hygienic and convenient toilet facilities are important everywhere but for older people with limited mobility, it becomes a crucial matter. You should check not only for enough toilet facilities in the public areas but also that they're equipped for people with limited mobility.

If you do rely on a wheelchair, make sure all the main areas of the caring home are accessible to you. Using a wheelchair is an important factor in your independence and mobility to you need to be sure that you can access all the important parts of the nursing home yourself.

If you've decided the mobility situation is satisfactory, the next thing you should consider is the accessibility to certain services you may need on a regular basis. These can include religious services. You need to be sure that a minister visits the nursing home on a regular basis, for example.

Medical services are obviously a high priority and don't forget to check such matters as regular visits by dentists and other specialists you may need.

Other important services for your daily life include such matters are hairdresser, manicurist and chiropodist. Quality nursing facilities arrange regular visits by qualified professionals.

Next, you should consider the matter of relaxation and recreation facilities.

These include libraries and lounges. Are there enough lounges and are they spacious and comfortable? Are they well-equipped with TVs and games?

Allied to this is the matter of planned programs of activities. Having a carefully organised schedule of meaningful activities can make a huge difference to the lives of residents.

It's important, too, that special events such as birthdays are celebrated. This gives a sense of order, belonging and continuity to the lives of the residents as well as bonding relationships and forging friendships.

Don't forget the outdoor areas of the nursing home. One of the great pleasures in life is relaxing in the fresh air in a beautiful garden. Being close to nature is refreshing and rejuvenating and does wonders for the mind and spirit. But of course the garden needs to be safe and well supervised.

In addition, as pleasant as the nursing home may be, you'll want to get away once in a while. So you should check if the home arranged organised trips to interesting destinations.

You'll also have to consider the arrangements for visitors. Is there a comfortable spot to spend time with your cherished visitors when they come?

And of course, you need to consider the location of the nursing home and its convenience for travel, especially if your visitors have to rely on public transport.

On the subject of location, check out too whether the care home is convenient for essential amenties such as shops, the bank and the post office.

There are many more issues involved when it comes to choosing the right nursing home. But getting answers to the above questions can give you a good start in the search to find a care home for your needs