What Is The Difference Between Nursing Care And Residential Care?
Deciding on the right type of care home for yourself or a loved one can feel overwhelming. Reaching this stage often comes after a period of change, concern or reflection, perhaps following a hospital stay, a decline in health, or simply recognising that more day-to-day support is needed. With various care options available, understanding the difference between nursing care and residential care is an important step in making an informed decision that ensures comfort, safety and quality of life.
You might be exploring care options and asking yourself: What’s the difference between nursing care and residential care? Or perhaps you’re unsure whether a care home or nursing home is the right fit, and if nursing care is truly what your loved one needs at this stage.
In this blog we’ll explore what the difference is between nursing care and residential care and how this affects the type of care provided to those who are living in a care home and how to know which is the right kind of care for you or your loved one.
What Is Nursing Care?
There are many different types of care available in various care homes across the country. Nursing care is just one example and has a few specific features that separate it from other types such as residential, dementia, or palliative care.
In a care home, nursing care refers to the specialised medical and health support provided by registered nurses and healthcare assistants to residents with complex medical needs, or those who require ongoing medical management. Nursing care is provided 24/7 and can include administering medications, wound care, managing chronic conditions and assisting with mobility and other daily activities. Nurses monitor residents' vital signs and overall health, reporting any changes to the medical team, GP and specialists.
What Is The Difference Between Residential Care And Nursing Care?
So, what is the difference between residential care with or without nursing? Residential care, in general, refers to when someone lives full-time in a care home. As part of living in a care home, residents may require assistance with daily activities but do not need the level of medical nursing care. Residential care, while available without any additional types of care, can also encompass other types of care such as dementia care, nursing care, palliative care, or convalescent care.
So, if nursing care is a subset of residential care, what are the additional benefits that nursing care has that standard residential care doesn’t? Well, there a few additional features of nursing care that make it specialist:
1. Registered General Nurses
One of the key features of nursing care is that Registered General Nurses with specialist medical training are on hand to help nursing care residents 24/7. The training they receive is more tailored to complex health needs.
At Caring Homes, our fully trained nurses are a permanent part of the team, meaning they are able to grow strong relationships with our residents and get to know them and their needs on a personal level. This is particularly reassuring when nursing care can be quite intimate and personal.
2. Round-the-clock care
As mentioned, our team of Registered General Nurses are available for assistance 24/7 at our care and nursing homes. This means that if your loved one needs extra medical care and attention, there is always a trained medical professional on hand whatever the time.
Having constant access to expert carers also means that, even if a resident becomes poorly, there is less chance of needing to be hospitalised, which we understand can be a difficult and stressful experience.
3. Care for complex health needs
With additional expert medical care on hand comes a knowledge of complex health conditions and how to best manage and alleviate symptoms. Some of the more complex health conditions that our nursing care residents may have include:
- Strokes
- Stomas
- Cancer
- Neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s or Huntington’s disease
- Brain or spinal injuries
- Muscular dystrophy
- Motor Neurone Disease (MND)
- …and more
4. Costs and fees
Other than the level of medical care provided, one of the differences between residential care and nursing care are the costs. Costs for nursing care may be higher than that of regular residential care due to the additional needs of the resident and the additional services provided.
At Caring Homes, we like to be transparent with our costs and so you can find fees for each of our homes on their respective web page. To find your local home, visit www.caringhomes.org/find-a-care-home.
How To Know Which Type Of Care Is Best?
If you’re beginning to consider care homes for your loved one, the first place to start is with a care needs assessment from your local council. This will consider many aspects of everyday life for your loved one and any medical needs they have. From this care needs assessment, you should be advised on the best type of care for them, whether residential care, nursing care, dementia care, etc.
Nursing care generally is better suited to those with more complex health needs that cannot be managed suitably at home or by other care home staff.
If you’re looking for high quality care homes for your loved ones to ensure they are being cared for and given the independence and quality of life they deserve, then take a look at our UK care homes. We provide expert nursing care at many of our care homes, so why not book a visit and speak to one of the team? Get in touch on 0808 169 8661 or send us a message.
