We aim to support you in your own home for as long as possible. However, there might come a time when you are no longer able to look after yourself without to the help of immediate assistance.
Financial support for residential or nursing homes
If you need help to pay for a residential or nursing home, we will rigorously assess your situation. This means that we explore a range of services suited to meet your current needs, choosing residential or nursing care only after all other options have been exhausted.
Throughout the process you will have an allocated care manager to support you and make sure that suitable services are offered.
Care homes without nursing care
These homes are residential, which means people live in them permanently or for respite of a short limited period. As well as providing you with accommodation, they provide meals and assistance with:
personal hygiene, including help with washing, bathing, shaving, oral hygiene and nail care
continence management, including assistance with toileting, skin care, incontinence laundry and bed changing
There will be a shared lounge and dining room, a variety of food is cooked in the home so that residents have a choice of different meals food and diet, including preparing food for special diets and helping with feeding;
Daily social activities help residents remain active and independent. Many homes have their own activity organisers or invite activities to entertain residents and encourage exercise
simple treatments, including assistance with medication (including eye drops), applying simple dressings, lotions, and creams etc
Care homes with nursing care
These homes provide the same help and assistance with personal care as those without nursing care. However, they also have professional registered nurses and experienced care assistants who can provide 24-hour nursing care for more complex health needs.
Generally residents should not have to share a room. All rooms should, have a wash basin, some rooms might be en-suite or have a shared bathroom.
Registration of care homes
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) oversees all care homes. Each home is registered and inspected to make sure they are working to meet the 38 standards laid down in the Care Standards Act 2000.
Each registered home will have its registration certificate displayed at its entrance. This will state the number of residents and what kinds of residents the home is allowed to look after.
Each home will have a report based on the last inspection by CQC. You can ask to see this report at the home, at the local CQC office or online.
More information
You can use the links on the right to get more information about care homes, the financial assessment process and how much you might have to pay.
If you are considering visiting a number of care homes, you might find the Age UK checklist for choosing a care home, which provides helpful questions when considering the type of care home you want.