What Is a Residential Care Home?

There are many terms and definitions used for types of social care, including ‘care home, ‘residential home’ and ‘nursing home’. Generally speaking, ‘Care Home’ is the umbrella term and refers to residences which may provide accomodation along with personal or nursing care.

There can be many types of care home, but the main two are known as Residential care homes and Nursing care homes.

Residential Care Homes include permanent care homes for older people, homes for younger adults with disabilities and homes for children. They may be privately owned or run by the voluntary sector or local authorities.

A Residential Care Home will provide personal care for the resident throughout the day and night.  This can involve help with washing and dressing, provision of meals and help with eating, and helping a resident get to the toilet.  Residential care homes are ideal for a person with physical or learning disabilities or elderly person who needs some support but who has a level of independence and a certain ability to tend to their own needs.

Usually, residential care homes will offer places to people of a specific age range, or who need a specific type of support.   In addition to care homes for the elderly, there are residential care homes that provide care and support for younger adults with, for example, severe physical disabilities, learning disabilities, acquired brain injury, progressive neurological conditions or mental health problems.

Some homes specialise in providing residential care for children. This could be for a variety of reasons, including physical or learning disabilities or emotional problems.

Residential special schools focus on education and provide teaching on site. Children in traditional children's homes are normally educated outside the home in an educational or training facility.
 

Mark Sadler