When deciding that your loved one requires a level of care, it is essential to thoroughly research what services and types of care are available. In this blog, we will guide you through the decision-making process by highlighting the difference between home care and a residential care home enabling you to make a more informed decision as to which is the best option for your loved one.

What is Care in My Home?

Care in My Home is a service whereby a carer is provided to you in your residence. There are many benefits to having a personal carer come to your home or residence. By building a personable rapport between the carer and the patient, and offering a more personal service, the care process is often more agreeable to the patient. Often, when elderly or frail, the idea of moving away from familiarity can become highly distressing and cause anxiety and stress.

The simple solution of someone coming into familiar surroundings can provide comfort and ease of convenience. Home care can also provide a more person-centred level of care, due to its one-to-one nature. If your loved one needs continuous care a live-in carer can often provide a high level of support that is attentive to the individual needs of the patient.

You can either source an ‘at home carer’ through an agency or privately. Home care allows you to experience a level of care whilst staying at home. The patient’s normal activities such as walking in local parks and seeing friends/neighbours can easily be catered for.

Flexibility with the frequency of visits can be tailored to the patient’s needs. For instance, whether you need someone to come every day, a few times a week or live in permanently; all can be catered for. It can also vary from week to week should a family member or friend want to share in the process. A live-in carer is a convenient way of providing a clean, healthy living environment and dedicated support structure for your loved one.

A Care Home

A Care Home is, usually, a full package inclusive of meals and board whereby a resident lives in a dedicated Care Home comprising multiple residents and looked after by a group of carers in a communal environment. In this case, you will see a number of varying carers at different times who will be on hand for most basic caring needs; however whilst there are always carers on hand 24/7 the personal one-to-one level of attention will not be there. Additionally, within a nursing home a doctor, qualified to administer medical practices, is always available, whereas in a care home a qualified nurse is only on hand.

A Care Home provides additional extra-curricular activities for the live-in residents. Often the need for social contact never leaves us and so when we get older having other residents, whereby daily social interactions can take place, can be both comforting and enriching. Care homes provide trips out – whether to local parks and pleasure spots ensuring the residents engage with the local nature and take up various cultural activities and remain active – essential to prolonging a long healthy life. These extra activities can spark new interests that perhaps have never been known in the resident’s life and enormous pleasure can be achieved for both the loved one and their family.

Keeping the mind occupied is essential in maintaining a healthy life in all elderly people, often staving off other mental health problems/diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. Equally, exercise is important for physical well-being and a degree of structure can help maintain both important aspects of the elderly. By communicating and socialising consistently, a healthy state of mind and well-being can be achieved.

Conclusions

The decision as to whether Care in my home or a Care Home is appropriate for a person’s needs will need a discussion between the family and their doctor. Deciding between a care home and at-home care is one of life’s biggest decisions. Being well informed of what both offers are essential. Knowing the differences between the two can help you make an informed decision. By filling out this needs assessment (https://www.carehome.co.uk/advice/care-needs-assessment) you can gain assistance on what is the best option for your loved one.