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Care Homes - Residential and Nursing
                

Care Homes - Residential and Nursing
A Guide to Care homes and Choosing a Residential and Nursing Home

See also
Paying Your Care home Fees
Care Homes - Benefits and Hospital
 

You may need a level of support that cannot be provided in your own home. In this case, a care home may be the ideal choice. Your local council's social services department can provide information about what services are available and how to get them.

Choosing a care home

You have the right to choose your care home. Finding one that is right for you might take some time. You should make sure the care home you choose has the facilities, equipment and staff with the right training to meet your needs.

Each local council sets amounts that they normally pay for someone with your assessed needs. If you want to move into a care home that is more expensive, you may need to pay the difference.

  • See Choosing a care home section below.

Types of care home

There are different types of care homes. Some offer full time nursing care, others support people with a specific disability or medical need.

If you are currently receiving treatment on a regular basis from a qualified nurse, you may need a care home with nursing. Your district nurse or hospital staff will be able to help you decide.

  • See below for types of care home

Covering the cost

Care home fees are a worry for a lot of people. Care homes providing services and facilities appropriate to particular disabilities can be expensive.

Health and care professionals will assess your needs and help you find a care home that meets those needs.

They will then do a financial assessment to work out how much you can afford to contribute towards the costs. Currently, if you have more than £22,250 in capital, you will be assessed as being able to meet the full cost of your care.

  • Paying your care home fees  

Temporary stays in a care home

You might choose a temporary stay in a care home to recover from an illness or as a break for you and your carer.

You should also be able to stay on a temporary basis for a trial period to see if the care home suits you. Some people also go to care homes for day care.

Care homes and benefits

Moving into a care home permanently or for a short time can affect the benefits you receive. Your benefits will usually form part of your contribution to your care home fees, so it is important to make sure you are claiming all the benefits you are entitled to.

Care homes and hospital

Some people move to a care home directly from hospital - perhaps if they are newly disabled. You cannot be discharged into a care home against your will and you have the right to choose your care home.

A hospital stay may become necessary while you live in a care home.

Care home standards

The Care Quality Commission is the independent regulator of health and social care in England. It registers and inspects health and adult social care services, including care homes. It also protects the rights of people detained under the Mental Health Act.

When you move into a care home you should be made aware of the complaints procedure. If you have any problems, you can complain to the care home directly or to the Care Quality Commission.

Choosing a care home
Once you have made the decision to move into a care home you need to begin the process of choosing the right one for you as this can often take some time.

Your local council can help you choose a care home and, after a financial assessment, may contribute towards the cost.

Your right to choose

You have the right to choose which care home you live in. If your local council is helping with your fees you can still choose as long as:

  • your choice is suitable for your care needs
  • there is a place available
  • they can agree a contract with the care home to make sure you receive the support you need
  • the cost is not more than the local council normally pays for someone with your assessed needs

Visiting care homes you are interested in

If possible you should visit care homes that you are considering to make sure they meet your current and possible future needs. You might like to have a checklist with you of points that are important to you in case you forget to ask something.

Things you might want to consider:

  • are staff adequately trained to care for people with your disability or needs?
  • is it accessible?
  • is appropriate equipment available - for example handrails, hoists, adjustable baths and armchairs?
  • can you keep your own doctor?
  • can your food and dietary needs be met?
  • can your religious or cultural needs be met?

Talking to staff, residents and managers can help you get an idea what living there might be like. You should feel able to visit more than once.

Finding the right care home

Finding the right care home can take some time. If you have specific or complex care needs it can sometimes be difficult. Charities and organisations related to your specific disability might be able to offer advice about choosing a care home.

There are relatively few care homes able to meet the needs of younger disabled people - your local council should be able to tell you about those in your area.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspects all registered care homes and writes a report on what they find. Reading the reports of the care homes you are considering might help you make a choice - you can read them online on the CQC website.

On the CQC website you can search for care homes with and without nursing care. You can also look for care homes that provide care for people with:

  • learning disabilities
  • physical disabilities
  • sensory impairments
  • dementia
  • mental disorders

National minimum standards issued by the Department of Health state that care homes should offer trial stays. This may include the chance to meet staff, have a meal and an overnight stay.

Find out about local residential care

The following link will let you enter details of where you live and then take you to your local authority website where you can find out more about local residential care.

What if the care home does not have a place?

You can arrange to go into a different care home while you wait for a place or arrange for services at home. If your local council is helping with costs then they can help you with either of these options.

What if you want a care home in a different area?

You may wish to move to a care home in a different local council district to the one where you currently live. This could be because you want to be near to relatives or the place where you grew up.

If you have been assessed as needing care and your local council has agreed to pay for you, then they are responsible for your fees if you choose a care home somewhere else.

Under certain circumstances your local council may be able to pay the care home fees if they are more expensive.

Choosing a care home for someone else

If the person you care for is not able to express their choice then the local council should take your preferences into account.

Types of care home
There are hundreds of different care homes in the UK offering many different types of services. Some offer full-time nursing care, others support people with a specific disability or medical need.

Care homes can be run by local councils, private businesses or not-for-profit companies.

Your local council can help you find a care home to meet your needs, or the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) has a list of all registered care homes in England.

Charities that offer support for particular disabilities can be very helpful and may have lists of care homes that offer specialised support and experienced staff.

An important consideration when you are choosing a care home is whether you need one that offers nursing as well as personal care.

Care homes

You may choose to go into a care home (sometimes called residential home) if you can no longer manage in your own home. Services you should expect at a care home include:

  • meals and accommodation
  • help with personal care like bathing and dressing
  • staff available 24 hours a day
  • physical and emotional care
  • care through short illnesses

Care homes with nursing

If you have a disability or illness that means you need nursing care on a frequent basis then a care home with nursing (sometimes called a nursing home) might be more appropriate. A qualified nurse will be on duty 24 hours a day.

You have the right to choose your care home but it must meet your needs, so if you need a care home with nursing - you may not be able to move into one that cannot provide nursing care.

You may qualify for full NHS funding of your care home. You will have to meet your health authority's criteria. You can ask them for a copy of these.

Specialist care homes

You may choose to move into a care home that provides specialist care for your particular disability or needs. This might include specially trained staff or adapted facilities.

Your local council should have lists of specialist care homes or ones that might offer services appropriate to your needs. Charities can also be very helpful in finding the right care home.
 

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