What is a Care Home?
A care home is a residential setting where a number of older people live, usually in single rooms, and have access to on-site care services.
Since April 2002, all homes in England, Scotland and Wales are known as ‘care homes’, but are registered to provide different levels of care
- A home registered simply as a care home will provide personal care only, i.e help with washing, dressing and giving medication.
- A home registered as a care home with nursing will provide the same personal care, but also have a qualified nurse on duty twenty-four hours a day to carry out nursing tasks. These homes are for people who are physically or mentally frail, or people who need regular attention from a nurse
- Typically, all meals are provided in a care home and staff are on call at all times
- Some homes, registered either for personal care or nursing care, can also be registered for a specific care need, for example dementia or terminal illness
- Dual registered homes no longer exist, but homes registered for nursing care may accept people who just have personal care needs, but who may need nursing care in the future.
Note – In Northern Ireland care homes are still known as residential care homes or nursing homes
The benefits of a care home are:
- Assistance with daily tasks – care homes provide assistance to their residents with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, eating, drinking, using the toilet, running errands and where it is a care home with nursing, administering medicine. Typical daily tasks can become increasingly difficult with old age
- A built-in social network of their peers – older residents can enjoy the company of others, who are living in the same facility and share their experiences. Many nursing facilities also offer organised social events open for participation from all residents. Many senior citizens suffer from depression due to feelings of isolation from living alone and not having access to social outlets
- Housekeeping –cleaning can be an arduous task for many ageing people. The care home staff will take care of laundry service, dry cleaning and general cleaning services
- Food provided- care facilities provide all meals and snacks. Many facilities offer various meal plans to cater to different tastes and dietary requirements. Some facilities also offer meal planning services with a licensed dietician to ensure that their residents are enjoying a healthy and balanced diet. The food services and meals provided are incorporated into the nursing home cost.
