Finding a care home
This guide explains the different types of care home for people living with dementia. It also advises how to find and choose the right one.
Different types of care home
Care homes provide either residential or nursing care. The type of home that the person requires will depend on their general health and care needs. Everyone with dementia is different. For some people with dementia the main problems that they experience will be dementia-related, whereas for other people with dementia their main problems may be caused by a different condition, such as a stroke.
Residential care homes provide help with personal care such as washing, dressing and eating. In some residential care homes staff have had specialist training in dementia care. Nursing homes provide personal care but also have a qualified nurse on duty 24 hours a day. Some homes that are registered for nursing care will accept people with personal care needs who may need nursing care in the future.
Moving between care homes
It is sometimes necessary for a person with dementia who is already living in a care home to move to a different home. Such a move can be stressful and people may react in different ways. It is therefore important that the move is carried out with proper planning and preparation. If the local authority would like to move a person to a different care home they should first carry out an assessment that considers the possible impact of the move on the person.
The person should move during the day, accompanied by someone they know. An optimistic attitude about the move will encourage the person with dementia to see it as a positive change. It is also best to give the person with dementia as much choice and control as possible. For example, visit two homes and give the person a choice of which one to move to. If there is more than one bedroom available at the new home, try to choose one that is similar to the person’s previous room. For example, choose a room with a similar layout or a room where the way to the bathroom is similar to before.
If the person is moving to a care home in a different local authority, disputes about which local authority is responsible for the person’s funding can arise. This should not lead to any delay in the provision of care or accommodation, and until the dispute has been resolved one of the local authorities must accept responsibility.