Caring for a loved one as they grow older comes naturally to many. However, needs progress, and providing elderly care can become too difficult to do alone. Sometimes, professional help is required.

Unfortunately, the needs of your loved one won’t disappear whilst you look for the help and support that matches their needs. Every set of circumstances is different and finding the right information quickly is very important.

To make your care home journey easier, we’re going to explain what the key differences are between residential and nursing care.

What is a residential care home?

This type of home is for individuals who find difficulty with day-to-day routines and need a little bit of extra support with personal care – but they wish to remain as independent as possible. Help could be provided with eating, washing, cleaning, using the toilet, or any other tasks that an individual finds themselves struggling with.

These homes can be a short-term or permanent residence depending on the needs of the individual. They will include 24-hour service care and support provided by professional staff. You can expect dining facilities with a catering service, planned activities and outings, and many amenities found at hotels, such as Wi-Fi and secure access for residents and staff.

What is a nursing care home?

Also known as a ‘residential nursing home’ or a ‘care home with nursing’, nursing homes provide all of the care and support a residential care home does, but with the added support of 24-hour nursing care and monitoring by a registered nurse (RN).

Nursing homes are are suited to individuals with complex medical needs that require regular treatments and those with evolving needs that require bespoke care plans and monitoring.

These homes have specialist staff and equipment to recognise changing symptoms and to safely and effectively administer care for a wide variety of illnesses and conditions.

Guild Care runs three nursing homes, two of which also cater for residents with dementia. If you would like to find out more, please give our Customer Service Team a call on 01903 327327.