Types of care homes

In order 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 do run care homes, but privately owned care homes are more common. Charity and voluntary organisations also own care homes.

Types of Care Homes

Video: an overview and definitions of what the different types of care homes do

Residential Care Homes

Residential care homes can offer emergency, respite, short term, long-term care and even palliative care to older people and young adults who stay in a residential setting rather than in their own home or family home.

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 needs of the resident, staff at care homes can also provide assistance with daily activities such as personal care, dressing and eating. They 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.

For young people, help with life skills such as cooking, shopping, budgeting, training and employment can promote their independence.

Care home standards are listed on the regulator’s website. The regulator is able to enforce fines or even close a care home, if it deems people’s basic rights or safety is at risk.

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 the addition of 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.

You can search for Care Homes with Nursing, find out about NHS-funded nursing care (FNC): Eligibility and rates on this website.

Here are more details about the difference between a care home and nursing home.

Other Care Options

Extra Care Housing

Extra care housing (also known as sheltered housing/assisted living/supported living) offers individuals more independence than living in a care home because they can reside in a self-contained flat while getting meals provided. People using this service can also receive personal care, where required.

This accommodation is easy to manage, ranging from a simple bedsit to a large flat or small house.

Extra care housing schemes may have a scheme manager (previously called wardens) who live either on or offsite. There should be 24-hour emergency help via an alarm system to support each individual’s independence as well as care and support.

Extra care housing schemes can provide a greater level of access and mobility for frail, older people with a domiciliary care service and personal care element being available.

Although accommodation is self-contained, there are often communal areas such as a lounge, communal dining room and garden to socialise in. Many schemes also run social activities for residents.

While some housing is available to rent privately, most sheltered housing for rent is provided by councils or housing associations. They allocate housing based on need and there is often a waiting list.

Retirement Villages

Retirement village residents usually buy an apartment on the site, although in some schemes they can part-buy or even rent the property. Residents can decorate it how they wish and most villages allow pets. The properties are designed to keep people living independently, . It can be kitted out with alarms, fall sensors and easily accessible showers.

At a retirement village, you can also pay for care and support services. These services are on-site, as and when you need them.

Retirement villages have various types of housing with some even including a care home on one site.

Adult Day Care Centres

Adult Day centres can help people who live at home to socialise and enjoy life.

These day care centres can particularly help make a difference to older people, people with mental or physical disabilities and vulnerable adults in the community.

They can be run by councils, the voluntary sector or private firms.

The centres can provide a pleasant social environment and atmosphere. Visitors can socialise and enjoy a wide range of activities. People can also attend a day centre to give carers a break from their caring responsibilities.

The day centres are run by qualified, experienced staff and provide a number of activities, intended to:

• Help you gain the practical skills needed for independent living, such as cooking and laundry
• Give you advice on a range of subjects including opportunities to try out equipment to help with daily living tasks
• Provide gentle exercise and help with mobility
• Provide social activities such as craft and hobbies, games, outings and entertainment

Some day centres offer training or work projects for people with disabilities. Others help those recovering from illness, such as a stroke. They usually provide light refreshments such as tea, coffee, cakes and biscuits. Some may offer a cooked lunch.

Home Care

If you need support to live independently in your own home, home care, also known as domiciliary care may be the right choice for you.

Home care can include services such as:

• Personal care (help with washing and dressing)
• Getting in and out of bed
• Cooking
• Shopping
• Cleaning
• Companionship
• Assistance to go to out: e.g. to the doctors, day care centre or a friend’s house.

Depending on your individual needs, the same care worker or agency may provide long-term 24-hour care, emergency care, respite care (for short breaks for an unpaid family carer). There can be short visits which can range from 15 minutes to an hour or more.

If you have a loved one looking after you, they can qualify as a carer and receive an allowance. A carer can have a carer’s assessment to determine whether they require help to carry out their caring role.

Adapting your home, by for example installing a walk-in shower, can also help you stay independent. There are home gadgets and adaptations available to ensure you don’t, for example, leave the gas on. There are also sensors you can wear that can detect a fall or alert others that you need help.

Telehealth’ and ‘telecare’ technology, include devices to remind people to take medication etc. They enable care staff to remotely monitor health e.g. blood pressure.

Small adaptations to the home can include fitting handrails. Large adaptations may include installing a downstairs bathroom, fitting a stair lift, or widening doorways to allow wheelchair access.

As well as care and support organised by the council, some people are also eligible to receive help from the NHS. This help may be a nursing service for people who are ill or recovering at home after leaving hospital.

If you think you require help in your home, contact your local authority’s social services department to ask for an assessment of your care needs. If you have no home of your own, shared lives services (also known as adult placement services) can offer you a place to live in a shared lives carer’s home.

Shared lives schemes support adults with learning disabilities, mental health problems or other care needs that make it hard for them to live alone.

Mental Health Hospitals

Mental health hospitals can support a wide range of behavioural and mental health complications.

A trained and experienced team of staff are able to help adults with complex needs, taking on board forensic histories including substance misuse.

Private mental health hospitals may offer patients their own bedroom with an en-suite bathroom. Other facilities can include a dining room, a range of shared lounges, a visitor’s room, a garden and even a patient’s kitchen.

The focus can be on rehabilitation to enable adults to become more confident and capable concerning their life skills. This will allow them to take steps towards greater independence.

Expert and therapeutic interventions are also practised to rehabilitate individuals with a history of offending behaviour.

Hospices

For people with a terminal illness or condition, hospices are equipped to offer end-of-life medical care.

Hospice care can be administered in a range of settings including a nursing home, hospice building or sometimes a hospital, however, it is most commonly practised in the home.

Hospices care for people with a wide range of conditions including cancer, motor neurone disease, cardiovascular diseases, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease.

Hospice staff offer emotional and practical support to patients and their loved ones. They focus on delivering a palliative approach; with individuals made comfortable and given pain relief when needed.

Hospices aim to give the best care possible to people with terminal or life-limiting conditions.

Staff have an important role in supporting people’s families, especially in providing bereavement support.

To be considered for hospice care, one has to be terminally ill or expected to die in six months. Hospices are also increasingly supporting people with multiple life-limiting conditions including dementia.

They can also offer a range of services for people visiting the settings, including counselling and complementary therapies.