Care homes for younger adults | Under 65

A common misconception is that care homes are only for older people, however many younger adults also require care homes.

There are many circumstances, including illness, injuries or disabilities that result in a young person needing personal, nursing and/or complex care both long and short term.

Care homes for younger adults offer care for various types of needs, including physical disabilities, learning disabilities or mental health.

Depending on individual needs, care homes for younger adults provide:

• Personal care, such as bathing and washing
• Help with getting in and out of bed
• Medication administration
• Help with getting dressed
• Providing activities to encourage physical and mental exercise
• Mental health support
• Social activities both in and out of the home
• Help with maintaining existing social connections

Some younger adults may need 24-hour extensive and complex care, for example if they have profound multiple learning disabilities (PMLD), which means that the person has a combination of a severe learning disability and other disabilities.

Care homes providing this type of care will have specialist facilities, equipment and highly trained staff to enable the person with PMLD to enjoy activities and engage with the world around them, despite being among the most disabled in society.

A person with PMLD is unable to live independently and would likely have to move into residential care. Younger adults who need social care have other options available to them, such as supported living.

Moving into a care home as a young adult does not mean it has to be a permanent solution, as these settings will often support their residents to learn life skills and access education and work. 

Care homes for younger adults’ age ranges

The common definition of a younger adult is a person who is in their teens or early twenties. However, this is not necessarily true for care homes.

A care home for younger adults accommodates people aged between 18 and 64 (under 65), as opposed to those over 65, who are generally referred to as older adults/elderly.

Some care homes provide care and accommodation for both younger adults and older adults.

Residential care options

Care homes

Care homes for younger adults could be both residential care homes and nursing homes, depending on the individual needs and circumstances of the person.

Young adults may for some reason find it difficult to cope with life in their family home. A care home can then provide 24-hour support and ensure a safe and comfortable environment.

The higher the care needs, the higher level of care will be required. In any case, the care plan will be based around personal needs, requirements and goals.

For example, if a young adult has emotional and/or mental health problems, a care home specialising in caring for people in this situation will be able to help with things like:

• Managing mental health
• Getting into routines
• Learning life skills
• Social skills
• Building relationships
• Identity and self-esteem

The goal is often to help the person develop the life skills, confidence and independence they need to progress into adult life. How this is done will vary from person to person, but can include community involvement, work-related activities or support to access education.

Supported living

For younger adults who are capable of being more independent but still need some form of support, supported living may be the best option. This is when the person will live in their own home as a tenant, rather than a resident, which could be a flat, house or a bedroom in a share house.

The aim is to enable them to live as they choose, make their own decisions about their day-to-day activities and their home while being part of a community. The support living site may feature communal facilities such as gardens, lounge rooms, gyms and more.

The accommodation can be adapted according to personal needs, for example with special equipment if the person has a disability.

There are always staff on site as well as specialist staff if required to meet the specific needs of the individual, such as:

• Personal care
• Cooking, cleaning and shopping
• Managing finances and budgeting
• Finding employment /voluntary work and accessing education
• Building and maintaining social links with family and friends
• Establishing new relationships

People moving into supported living may display challenging behaviour, have mental health problems or struggle with drug and alcohol misuse.

Some supported living schemes specialise in these types of care and support and will make every effort to enable the person to make positive changes to their life.

Finding care for a younger adult

There are nearly 6,000 care homes for younger adults in the UK. You can use our search function and filter to find one near you.

When you have narrowed your search down to an area you are happy with, we recommend that you read the reviews of each home to get a feel for what it is like. Follow the link below to get started.

Find a care home for younger adults