Understanding the different types of care home
All Care Homes are registered with their independent Inspectorate for the type of care they have been approved to provide:
Care Homes in England: The Commission for Social Care Inspection
Care Homes in Wales: The Care Standards Inspectorate for Wales
Care Homes in Scotland: The Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care
Each Care Home can only provide the type of care that it is registered for.
This falls into two general categories:
Care Homes
These homes provide residential or personal care for their residents. People can live in them for either a short or long term.
These homes provide:
- Accommodation
- Meals
- Laundry
- Personal Care including help with washing, dressing, eating, mobility etc
Care Homes with Nursing
These homes also provide residential or personal care for their residents but also employ Registered Nurses who can provide care for more complex health needs.
People can live in these homes for either a short or long term.
These homes provide:
- Accommodation
- Meals
- Laundry
- Nursing Care as well as Personal Care including help with washing, dressing, eating, mobility etc
Understanding the different types of care
In addition to either providing Nursing or Personal care, Care Homes can also be registered to provide other more specialist types of care:
Dementia Care Services
Dementia-related conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease, are very common in older people. Care is usually available within a residential or nursing setting depending on the level of care required.
Many Barchester care homes within the UK provide specialist care for residents with Dementia within our Award-Winning Memory Lane Communities which have experienced staff and adapted facilities.
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See more about our Memory Lane Communities
| Find Barchester homes which provide Dementia Care
Respite Care and Short Breaks
Short term, or respite care can be provided in most care homes where residents stay for perhaps a week or two. Many care homes will only offer it if there is a room vacant, whilst others will have rooms set aside which can be booked well in advance. Respite Care enables carers to have a break or can cover periods of time when a carer is unavailable.
| Find Barchester homes which provide Respite Care
Convalescent Care / Post op Care
This is short term care for people recovering from illness or an operation. Care Homes with Nursing are able to offer both convalescent and post-operative care, whilst residential homes usually just provide convalescent care.
| Find Barchester homes which provide Convalescent Care
Close Care / Assisted Living
Close Care, often known as 'Assisted living' is where you can live independently in an apartment within the grounds of one of our care homes. Close Care is a good choice for couples who need different levels of care, or may need to move into the care home at a later date.
| See Barchester's Close Care Services
Home care
Barchester Homecare services are available in specific locations within the UK. Care and services are provided through a Domiciliary Care Agency to residents living in their own homes.
| See Barchester's Homecare Services
Day Care For Non-Residents
Some care homes provide day care for residents living in the surrounding areas.
| Find Barchester homes which provide Day Care
Palliative Care
This is compassionate care for those with a chronic or terminal illness which is no longer responding to treatment. Palliative care particularly focuses on the active control of pain and symptoms to improve quality of life.
| Find Barchester homes which provide Palliative Care
Which type of home is best for me?
It is important to know the level and type of care that you need to ensure your chosen home can provide the services you require. It is also important to think about how your care needs may change over time to ensure the home is also suitable in the future.
Your GP will be able to help you understand the level of care you need. Your local Social Services department can also assess your needs and suggest the level of care you require.
How do I find the right care home?
To start to find the right Care Home in your area, it may be useful to speak to the following groups of people:
- Friends and relatives, for their recommendations
- Your local Social Services department, who will have a list of registered homes in your area
- Your relevant Inspectorate:
- - Care Homes in England: The Commission for Social Care Inspection
- - Care Homes in Wales: The Care Standards Inspectorate for Wales
- - Care Homes in Scotland: The Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care
- Your GP
- Local Age Concern office
- The Elderly Accommodation Counsel
Search for a Barchester Care Home
What useful information is available?
You can see the inspection reports for individual homes that have been produced by your relevant Inspectorate:
Care Homes in England: The Commission for Social Care Inspection
Care Homes in Wales: The Care Standards Inspectorate for Wales
Care Homes in Scotland: The Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care
What do I do next?
If you will be paying for the care home's fees yourself, you can start to contact homes directly. We recommend you visit as many homes as possible to see for yourself the different types of homes available.
Once you have found a home you like, the home will make an assessment of your needs, so that they can be sure they can offer you the right kind of care.
If your Local Authority will be paying for all or part of the fees, you can also start to contact homes directly. Your local Social Services department will carry out an assessment of your needs to agree the type of care you need. Once you have found a home you like, the home will also make an assessment of your needs, so that they can be sure they can offer you the right kind of care.
See our advice on Visiting Care Homes