From home care to residential care, finding whats right for your loved ones can feel daunting. Fortunately, varied options exist for varied needs, but how do you decide which one is best? This guide will help you with the first step towards this important decision, which is to find out more about the different possible care options that exist.

Home care v residential care: what’s the difference?

Home care enables the persons receiving care to stay in their own homes. Carers come to the home to help with anything that needs doing, from meal planning and cooking to medication management and transportation to appointments. This kind of care can work for anyone as it can be tailored to individual needs and be adapted to different needs should circumstances change at any point. We at Guardian Angel Carers can manage the services for you, coordinating with medical professionals if necessary and ensuring that vetted and reputable carers receive ongoing training and professional development to meet your needs best.

There are two kinds of residential care. If someone would prefer not to stay at home or if receiving care at home is simply not the best option. A residential home offers help with personal care while a nursing home for people who need consistent medical support. Both employ healthcare professionals, but only nursing homes are run by qualified nursing staff, so they may be a solution for persons who currently have, or anticipate significant medical requirements. The Care Quality Commission provides quality ratings as well as other resources should a care home be your preferred option.

Home care v care home: which is best?

Determining the best care option is a deeply personal decision. Here are some benefits and drawbacks that others report when it comes to choosing between home care and residential care.

Some positive aspects of residential care have to do with round-the-clock support as well as the provision of activities and social opportunities that are designed with both physical and mental wellness in mind. Less positive is the loss of independence, either real or perceived, and the separation from a familiar and sometimes beloved home environment. Residential care can also be costly; subsidised care homes often have long waiting periods, sometimes up to several years.

Home care is a more customisable option that allows carers to come to the home, on an hourly basis, or as a live-in member of the household. As a result, the person receiving attention can live in familiar surroundings, enjoying as much independence as possible, with qualified, hand-picked carers. Home care is usually less expensive than residential care, especially if a couple would like to stay together and receive support from carers at the same time.

Other options: sheltered housing, assisted living, and adult day-care

More options exist if less thorough, less extensive care is necessary. Sheltered housing offers rental accommodations that have been designed specifically for older people; usually, these persons do not require daily help, but would like access to extra support when needed; sometimes, sheltered housing properties can be purchased. Assisted living facilities provide housing options for couples or individuals who also want to live independently, but with built-in support systems available on call. Adult day-care provides activities and companionship in safe surroundings with larger groups of individuals.

This brief guide provides a quick introduction to available care options, so if more questions might arise from these descriptions, please contact us here at Guardian Angels so we can talk you through what will work best for you and your family.