Many people simply don’t realise that the nursing care provided in a patient’s own home is no different to that provided in residential nursing homes.
Indeed it is in the innocent absence of that knowledge that even in this day and age, some of the most well-meaning of relatives still sometimes feel constrained to persuade their parents or other elderly relatives to uproot from their own home and make the often irreversible move into a nursing or rest home.
There is absolutely no need to use even the UK’s best nursing homes
Not only does a good homecare agency provide a level of nursing which is at least a match for that in even the very best nursing homes, but the patient’s quality of life is invariably much better too, the cost of nursing homes is usually higher too.
From the patient’s point of view, they can get up and go to bed when they want, have meals of their choice and when they want (breakfast in bed being an obvious favourite), watch whatever they want on TV, bath or shower when they want, go out when and where they want and entertain their friends and relatives at will – anything they want to do in fact (and are able to do of course) – albeit with the assistance of those looking after them where they might need some help in any of those areas.
In short, then despite the fact that they may be dependent on a degree of nursing care in order to be sustained in their own home, they are nevertheless still ultimately in charge of their own life.
For obvious reasons, such a level of freedom and autonomy is simply not logistically possible in a nursing home or rest home.
Although it is a tragedy which mercifully strikes proportionally far fewer of us, more intense nursing care is equally available for the more critically ill such as those who have become incapable of communication or movement, the terminally ill or those who may be temporarily or permanently bed-ridden, because despite their illness, then if they are nevertheless of the certain knowledge that they will receive the same level of nursing care as they would in a hospital or hospice, many would still far rather spend their last months in their own home as would most of us.
5 responses so far ↓
1 Caring for the Elderly » Blog Archive » Enjoying elderly home care benefits // Aug 10, 2009 at 1:28 pm
[...] Why Care at Home rather than nursing homes or rest homes [...]
2 gwyneth lloyd // Aug 25, 2009 at 10:42 am
Mum broke her leg 7 months ago & it did not heal properly she now walks with a frame but can only manage very short distances with a helper. She went into a care home & fell after a week & broke her shoulder June 09 she subsequently fell 2 weeks ago and badly brusied the same shoulder she is paying £55 per day at present can she claim any care allowances
3 admin // Sep 9, 2009 at 1:04 pm
It does depend on where you live and your local authority – so I would suggest that you contact you local social services and ask to have a Social Worker to assess you Mum and they will then decide on what allowance she can get for her situation. Her personal finances will likely come into this equation too.
4 steven orrell // Nov 24, 2009 at 6:26 pm
Mum (82)has a medical condition that has to be treated by a nurse (she is in hospital). She is disabled due to her arthritus. She lives alone but her mobility is now nil and has to use a commode with the help of a nurse, we are looking for nursing home but are concerned about the cost of claiming for the continuing health care and the general cost of her care
Thanks
Steve Orrell
5 admin // Dec 15, 2009 at 10:05 pm
Hi Steven – It will depend on your mothers assets and needs. The Local Authority will assess her (they may organise this at the hospital before she is due to leave) to see whether she requires care in a home or can manage at home with assistance. If she is assessed as in need of a care home and has assets below £23,000 then the Local Authority are obliged to find a place for her and will assist with funding – some top up by a third party may be required. If her assets are above £23,000 then she will be funding for her own care and so the selection will be up to her
- try to ensure it is affordable for the long term. Attendance Allowance is non-means tested and will be paid if she is self funding – apply to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) and if she is in need of nursing care then there is a further allowance Registered Nursing Care Contribution (RNCC) to assist with the higher costs – again non-means tested. From what you have said, she will not be eligible for continuing care.
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