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0 To help you find the right type of care, our guide details the two main types of care homes—residential care homes and nursing homes—as well as other care options that you might wish to consider.
The main difference between a residential care home and a nursing home is that a nursing home will always have a qualified nurse on site.
This means nursing homes can offer a higher level of care, for example for people with a physical disability who struggle significantly with daily life, or people with long-term conditions which require complex care.
What does a care home do?
A care home provides accommodation, care and support for those who need help with managing daily life. Depending on individual needs, this can include personal care such as help with dressing, washing and eating.
Most care homes will offer various social activities and events and enable residents to keep busy with hobbies. Trips out are also common, such as visits to local amenities and places of worship.
This will be true for any type of care home, including nursing homes. However, nursing homes will be able to provide 24-hour medical care in addition to accommodation and personal care.
Do local authorities run care homes?
Local authorities run care homes, but privately owned care homes are more common. Charity and voluntary organisations also own care homes.
Types of Care Homes
Residential Care Homes
Residential care homes can offer emergency, respite, short-term, long-term, and even palliative care to older people and young adults who stay in a residential setting rather than in their own homes or family homes.
It is offered to older people and those aged 18-65 with physical disabilities, learning disabilities, mental health issues, alcohol/drug dependence or other care needs.
These homes are designed for people who do not need 24-hour nursing care but are unable to care for their daily needs and so cannot live independently.
The size of a care home can vary, with smaller homes housing as few as one resident and larger homes accommodating as many as 250 residents.
Depending on the resident’s needs, staff at care homes can also provide assistance with daily activities such as personal care, dressing, and eating. However, care homes are not considered to be medical facilities.
The care homes can provide residents with a furnished or unfurnished room, meals, housekeeping and laundry services. Individuals can have access to on-site facilities such as hair salons, cafes and gardens as well as opportunities to use amenities in the local community.
Residents can expect to have regular social activities organised for them and day trips out into the community.
Regular visits from entertainers, reminiscence experts, GPs, dentists, physiotherapists and other providers can be arranged.
Specialist care facilities can be provided to support those with conditions such as dementia, alcohol dependence etc.
Help with life skills such as cooking, shopping, budgeting, training, and employment can promote independence for young people.
The regulator’s website lists care home standards. If it deems people’s basic rights or safety are at risk, the regulator can enforce fines or even close a care home.
You can search for Residential Care Homes and find out about care home costs on this website.
Care Homes with Nursing
If you require continual support for specific conditions or types of disability, a nursing home may be the solution for you.
This type of home offers the same type of care as residential ones but with 24-hour medical care from a qualified nurse.
Nursing homes are a place of residence for people who have significant difficulty coping with daily living. Therefore they are supported in the setting by nursing aides and skilled nurses who are available 24 hours a day.
Nursing care might, for example, suit people who need intensive rehabilitative care. This could be those who have suffered a stroke, people with physical disabilities or individuals with other long-term conditions.
Specialist care facilities can be provided to support those with conditions such as dementia, alcohol dependence etc. For the terminally ill, palliative care can also be administered in a nursing home.
The size of a nursing home can vary greatly with some larger homes accommodating more than 200 residents.
Residents can expect to have regular social activities organised for them.
Regular visits from entertainers, GPs, dentists, physiotherapists and other providers can also be arranged.
Nursing home standards are outlined on the regulator’s website, with the regulator able to enforce fines or even close a nursing home if it deems people’s basic rights or safety is at risk.
