Care homes for Parkinson’s: Fees and support

Care homes that have specialist staff experienced with caring for people with Parkinson’s are ideal for someone with Parkinson’s as they have specific needs.

A person with Parkinson’s does not have enough of the chemical dopamine in their brain. This is because some of the nerve cells that produce it no longer work.

Parkinson’s can impact people in different ways. It is not known why people get the condition. 

Common symptoms of Parkinson’s are shaking, slow movement and muscle stiffness.

Other symptoms include:

• Lost sense of smell.
• Smaller movements like smaller handwriting. 
• Bladder problems.
• Constipation.
• Depression.  
• Anxiety. 
• Sleeping problems.
• Fatigue. 

While not a symptom, Parkinson’s UK states impulsive behaviour (when you can’t resist doing activities that could cause harm to themselves or others) is a known side effect of some Parkinson’s medication.

Advanced symptoms can lead to poor health and increased disability. These complications can lead to fatal falls, chest infections and pneumonia.

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological condition for which there is currently no cure. It isn’t possible to stop Parkinson’s symptoms. If you are in the advanced stages of Parkinson’s, you will need extra support to carry out everyday tasks.

When should someone with Parkinson’s go into a care home?

If you have Parkinson’s, you may be receiving care at home but moving into a care home may be an option if you are finding it increasingly hard to live alone and manage each day. You may be struggling to cook for yourself and eat or you may be having more falls as your mobility and coordination gets more affected.

Twenty-four hour residential care may be right for you, as meals and social activities are provided and there are lots of people to socialise with as well as trained staff to support them.

Do you have to pay for a care home if you have Parkinson’s?

Care home fees depend on where you live in the country and if you just want straightforward residential care it will cost self-funders an average of £1,266 a week with the average cost rising to £1,528 per week for nursing care.

Fees in a care home cover the accommodation, food and the social activities as well as personal care and if you need it nursing care.

Depending on your income you may be entitled to funding from your local authority for some or all of your care.

If you require nursing care you will be able to get Funded Nursing Care. If you or your family member live in England or Wales and have a high level of healthcare needs you may be eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) which is a package of free care provided without a means test.

Being diagnosed with Parkinson’s does not automatically entitle someone to CHC.

What should you ask a care home about Parkinson’s care?

Make sure you check the care home’s latest CQC report. The most recent inspection report for the care home is available on the Care Quality Commission’s website. 

It is important to ask a care home lots of questions such as:

• Do residents have a named member of staff who is responsible for their care?
• Are residents and their loved ones involved in care decisions?
• How does the home let loved ones know if a resident is ill?
• If a resident’s needs change, can they still be met in the same care home?

You can find out about other general questions you should ask a care home by reading this advice article which includes a care home checklist

However in addition to this checklist, to meet the specific needs of residents with Parkinson’s, the care home you select must meet the following criteria:

Does the care home have expert knowledge of Parkinson’s care?

No two people living in a care home with Parkinson’s are the same. A person’s experience of the condition can differ from one hour to the next.

When considering a care home for someone with Parkinson’s, you should find out about the training and experience of care home staff.

• Have staff done specialist training in caring for someone with Parkinson’s?
• Does the care home have other residents with Parkinson’s?
• How much experience do staff have in supporting people with Parkinson’s? 
• What training do staff receive and how regular is it?

“We provide regular training to our staff so that they have a deep understanding of Parkinson’s and will know how to handle any situation correctly”, states Country Lodge Nursing Home. 

“We are a nursing home that specialises in providing care for Parkinson’s sufferers and have had many residents with the condition live with us.”

When it comes to support, it is important that care home staff help a person with this condition to break a task down into stages to achieve things such as getting out of a chair.       

Is there a stable care home workforce?

A resident may not trust care staff if they meet a different face from one day to the next.

• You should find out if the care home has a consistent care team.
• Ask how many care staff are from an agency and how many people are employed by the home.
• Ask what the care home’s resident to staff ratio is.   

“Many of our staff have been with our care home for over 10 years, meaning that they have built up plenty of experience in working with the disease” states Country Lodge Nursing Home.

“Our constant care team will help your loved one feel calm and settled in our home, enabling them to thrive and be happy”.

Does the care home have Parkinson’s-friendly design?

There are a few things that a care home for those living with Parkinson’s need to offer.

• Is the care home designed to support people with Parkinson’s? For example, someone with the condition may gradually lose their ability to walk and may later become dependent on a walking stick or a wheelchair.  

The care home must ensure that communal areas such as lounges, dining areas, garden, toilets and bedrooms are easily accessible by maximising space for wheelchairs in passages and doorways. A single door width opening should be roughly doubled, where possible. This will limit the chance of a resident with Parkinson’s ‘freezing’ when moving and ensure they feel able to leave their rooms to socialise and engage fully in care home life.  

• Are there any tight turns in rooms that force residents to take smaller steps, which could cause falls? 

• Are there visual cues in the care home to help residents with Parkinson’s?   

• Focal points can be a useful visual cue for someone with Parkinson’s. A framed view at the end of a corridor (e.g. artwork at end of hallway) can focus a resident’s eye to guide their movement. It can raise their eye level to aid their postural stability.

• A banded floor design (like a small pedestrian crossing) acts like a visual cue to help people with Parkinson’s who may ‘freeze’ when attempting to move. Freezing is common in a doorway, for example.  

• Strips of tape on a resident’s bedroom floor encourages the person to step over the strips of tape which can keep them walking from their bedroom to the bathroom.  

• Are there smaller, intimate spaces such as a small quiet seating area for a resident to switch off? This is important, especially in a large care home.

Is there good communication via technology?   

The care home must be able to cater to a person’s current care needs and adapt to meet future needs. This must be reflected not only in the care home’s design but also by the care team’s ability to communicate and respond to changing needs.

• Find out if communication throughout the team and with hospital and GP is efficient
• How are care plans created and how is information shared with the team?
• Ask staff what technology is in place to monitor and alert care staff to issues? For example, is there fall detection technology present in residents’ bedrooms? 

What activities help people with Parkinson’s?

Some of Parkinson’s disease’s symptoms, such as tremors, balance issues and slowed movement can make it tricky for people with the condition to take part in activities they may enjoy. 

This does not mean they should miss out on all the fun and social interaction that activities brings. A care home should have activities to ensure people with Parkinson’s are included in the social life of the home.     

Ask the care home what activities take place for residents with Parkinson’s.

Care home activities that support residents with Parkinson’s include:

Exercise

Exercise in general can help alleviate someone’s pain and stiffness. 

Walking outdoors can help with lower-body flexibility and improve stamina, which can lead to better blood flow and mental clarity. Even chair exercises can help.

Research has shown that exercise in general can improve gait, balance, grip strength, and motor coordination and reduce tremors in people with Parkinson’s.

Retired P.E. teacher Christine has Parkinson’s and was encouraged to take part in a research programme on the benefits of Nordic walking for people with Parkinson’s.

Christine told Parkinson’s UK: “Nordic walking helps with posture, balance, coordination, cardio and overall fitness. Being outdoors helps you get more fresh air, feel good and manage your Parkinson’s. Most people with Parkinson’s can take part in Nordic walking, whatever stage they’re at in their journey.

“For me, exercise is the best medicine and I’m convinced it’s helped to slow my progression, to the extent that many people are unaware that I have Parkinson’s.”

Yoga 

Yoga is useful for mental wellbeing, as well as physical strength and balance. Mobility and flexibility are typically affected by the disease, so adaptive yoga can help keep joints and muscles moving. Yoga also boosts mood and quality of sleep.

Physical sports

Physical sports can help people with Parkinson’s. Not only is table tennis a cardio exercise, it requires hand-eye coordination which can be impacted by Parkinson’s.

Practicing these movements can retain and strengthen a resident’s motor abilities.

Listening and moving to music

Music can promote an individual’s self-expression, boost their memory and help to overcome a person’s anxiety and isolation. Activities that promote daily movement to music like singing, swaying and dancing, especially with a partner, can improve a person’s balance and coordination.

Art

The creative process helps people with Parkinson’s express themselves whether it be painting, drawing, sculpting or some other medium. Creating art, such as painting or working with clay, can soothe frustration, improve mood and hand dexterity.

Brain games, board games and puzzles

Board games and puzzles like word searches help limit mental frustration, boost attention and are great for cognitive stimulation.

Watching live sports

Watching live sports in a group is fun and offers mental stimulation. It can also give people comfort by encouraging them to recall their favourite past sporting memories.

Cooking

Find out if residents can get involved in cooking. Cooking helps people improve and maintain fine motor dexterity. Using cut-resistant gloves if they have tremors or having them help in other ways like mixing or getting ingredients can keep them safe.

Listening to audio and reading

Encourage your loved one to listen to or read news or current events. Listening to audiobooks can also help stimulate seniors’ brains, although you may have to limit this activity to brief intervals due to concentration issues.

Gardening

Michelle has Parkinson’s and told Parkinson’s UK that gardening has helped manage her symptoms.

Gardening such as planting flowers, weeding etc keeps hands busy. This leads to more flexible hand muscles, which reduces stiffness and tremors.

Gardening can also relieve stress and promote relaxation.

Michelle has told Parkinson’s UK: “Anxiety and depression are a huge part of living with Parkinson’s. It’s a condition that can really dominate your life and make you feel totally out of control.

“But for me, things that I plant and nurture in my little garden have helped me focus on the future in a positive way, which has made me feel back in control of my life again. And as my Parkinson’s progresses it becomes ever more vital to keeping me physically and emotionally well.

“I’m no Monty Don but gardening has changed my life and it could change yours too.”

What support is available to people with Parkinson’s?

If you need support, organisations providing advice include:

• Parkinson’s UK advisers who support people with the condition or their family. The helpline number is 01488 501103.
• Cure Parkinsons
• Michael J Fox Foundation

How do you find a care home for Parkinson’s?   

If your care needs change, you should ask your local authority to assess your needs with a care needs assessment. Whether or not you pay for a care home is assessed by your local authority.  

You may wonder how to begin a search for a Parkinson’s care home.

You can search for care homes that have experience in caring for people with Parkinson’s by filtering search results for Parkinson’s.

Or you can get help with your search by contacting the website’s free Care Home Search Service on 01488 501103 (standard call charges apply) or email carehelp@carehome.co.uk briefly highlighting your care needs and a member of the team will contact you.