Is there a difference between a nursing home and a residential home?
Ever wondered what the difference is between a nursing home and a residential home? Read on for more information about the key differences, and other options that might be suitable.
When it comes to finding support for a loved one as they grow older, it can be difficult to know where to start. You want to support them as much as you can but that isn’t always easy. It becomes even harder if they develop an illness or have a condition diagnosed. At that point, you might start thinking about what support options are available.
Sometimes, people don’t want to think about a care home as an option until it becomes the last resort. Often, many of our assumptions are unfounded; it doesn’t mean losing independence, for example. Far from it! Our care homes are set up to support our residents’ independence and quality of life as much as possible. We aim to keep life as close to normal as much as we can and we’re on hand to offer that extra bit of assistance with whatever is not so easy anymore.
Caring for the elderly is an emotive subject and we understand how hard it is to come to terms with the need for extra help. Many of our colleagues have been in that position with their own loved ones. Our team is always ready to answer any questions you might have to help make your decision easier.
The first step is to understand what options are available. That way, you can make sure you have all the information you need to find the very best care for your loved one. The first step might be recognising whether your loved one needs nursing or residential care. The terms are often used interchangeably by the general public but in fact there is quite a difference.
What is a nursing home?
Residential and nursing care homes do share a lot of similarities though a nursing care home will employ qualified nurses. A nursing home would be appropriate if your loved one or relative has a specific medical condition that requires additional support as the nurses are on duty day and night. They provide clinical support around the clock as required. You can read more about our nursing care here.
Conditions needing additional support might include disability or dementia, and many of the OSJCT homes are specialists in dementia care, which is covered in more detail below. A nursing home might also be the right choice for post-operative care or when someone is recovering from a stroke and it is just not possible to look after them properly at home.
As these examples suggest, care in a home can be for short periods as well as longer term.
Our devoted teams are there to support your loved one with whatever their medical or personal care needs and he or she will be treated with the utmost kindness throughout their stay. Each of our teams is extremely adaptable to allow them to tailor their care to each resident so that everyone feels a sense of belonging. It really is like being part of an extended family, and we like to include residents’ families as part of that.
The specialist nurses at our homes will work with the resident and their family to create the right personal care plan. It will always take into account their preferences and documents the medical care required.
You can read more about the nursing care we offer at OSJCT homes by clicking here.
Specialist Dementia care
Nearly 850,000 people across the UK have received a Dementia diagnosis, and many of us have seen a friend or relative face the challenges that brings. A OSJCT we have homes that are set up to support residents living with dementia specifically, to allow them to continue living an independent life as far as possible. We are proud to be one of just a handful of care providers to employ our own Admiral (specialist dementia) Nurses, supported by Dementia UK. Every member of our care team has specific dementia training, and each home has a designated Dementia Lead so you can be confident that your loved one is getting the very best tailored support.
For more information on how we help our dementia residents, see the information on our website.
What is a residential home?
A residential care home is like a nursing care home in that both provide a safe place for your loved one to receive the support and care they need, round the clock. There are always superb carers around to look after residents, 24 hours a day. In a residential setting, the carers do not need to have specialist nursing qualifications.
As with a nursing home, a residential home will tailor the care to suit your loved one’s needs and lifestyle to incorporate as many of the things they love to do as possible. That includes their daily routine, any hobbies, even the food they like to eat. It becomes their home, so we encourage our residents to bring their personal possessions to help them settle in, and have visitors whenever they like.
We value privacy and dignity for all our residents, so our role is to support their independence as much as possible while lowering the risk to their safety that remains if they lived alone.
You can read more about the residential care we offer at OSJCT homes by clicking here.
Is one better than another?
No option is better than another – it’s a question of finding the right one for the individual and their own needs. It might be that your loved one does no need nursing care around the clock and in this case the district nurse team can visit to administer clinical support.
Nursing and residential care are just two of the services we offer at OSJCT. Many of our homes also have flexible day centres that can help alleviate feelings of loneliness and isolation. They provide a safe environment for pursuing hobbies, spending time with others, and sharing experiences in group activities. We will happily talk you though the options and we would love to show you around one of our homes as soon as we can. Give is a call and we will happily discuss which option is right for you.