There are two main types of care homes – residential and nursing. Specialised dementia care is offered by some residential care homes, but for long-term care, a nursing home will be best equipped.
Residential care home
A residential home is a safe place where 24 hour care and support for residents, sometimes including those living with dementia, is provided.
A residential care home only has care staff, so it is appropriate for people who need assistance with their daily activities such as washing, dressing and meal preparation. It is not suitable for someone who has an ongoing nursing/medical requirement.
Benefits include:
- The care is tailored around care needs
- Residents are encouraged and supported to be independent
- Social activities are provided but not compulsory, and being with other residents means more social interaction
- Families can be reassured by knowing where their loved one is at all times and that they are being looked after
Specialised dementia care is offered by some residential care homes.
Questions about funding care?
Care Sourcer’s friendly care experts are on hand to provide guidance on typical care costs, help you explore your funding and benefit options, or even negotiate care fees on your behalf. Call us on freephone:
(Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm)
Nursing care home
A nursing home is very like a residential care home, but the main difference is there are always trained nurses on duty. This means they are more suitable for people who have a medical condition such as dementia that has progressed beyond early stages, or people who have been told they have other nursing needs.
Benefits include:
- Nurses and carers are trained to monitor symptoms and provide 24 hour support
- An individual healthcare plan will be designed for each resident
- Specialised care is provided for conditions and life events including: Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, dementia, postoperative care and strokes
- Social activities will be provided to an appropriate level
There are also dual-registered care homes which cater for both residential and nursing clients within the one care home. This can be beneficial as someone may not have nursing needs at the moment but may do in the future.
Specialist dementia care within a care home
Here are some things that you might expect to see within a care home that provide specialised care for people with dementia:
- Staff specially trained in dementia care
- Activities specially designed to be dementia-friendly and therapies such as pet therapy or music therapy to promote wellbeing
- A close interest in the life and story of your loved one, so staff know their preferences and can help and prompt memories
- Dementia-friendly furniture – for example, the bed may be positioned so that the toilet in the en-suite is easily identifiable and the toilet may be made more easily recognisable with a contrasting coloured toilet seat, avoiding lots of mirrors which can make a room more difficult to process
- A dementia-friendly environment – for example, the care home might use special signage (including pictures) and different colour schemes so that a resident can easily identify where they are. Busy wallpaper and clutter can be confusing for the resident.
- More time given to residents – being rushed can cause stress to people living with dementia, so a specialised dementia care home will make sure that all residents have the opportunity to do everything at their own relaxed pace
- A safe environment – e.g. brighter lighting to reduce the risk of falls also some people living with dementia can become anxious or afraid of shadows, potential dangerous medication, appliances and other items locked away
- Quiet areas – where residents can spend some time reflecting or taking part in quiet and peaceful activities
Cost of dementia care homes
Care home costs in the UK can vary across geographical areas, and from care home to care home. Find out more about the cost of dementia care homes.
Find a care home in your local area
Use our care search tool or one of our quick links below to find a care home near you.
Questions about funding care?
Care Sourcer’s friendly care experts are on hand to provide guidance on typical care costs, help you explore your funding and benefit options, or even negotiate care fees on your behalf.
Call us on freephone: 0800 098 8299 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm)
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