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“Home care or a care home?” For those with elderly relatives or loved ones with complex care needs, deciding between the two exceptional medical support services can feel overwhelming.
If you’ve found yourself struggling to decide on the right option for your family member, we’re here to help. Breaking down the differences between care homes and home care, as well as the benefits of both, can help you make the best decision for their needs.
So, in this blog, we’ll walk you through the benefits and considerations of home care and care homes to help you answer the question: home care or a care home?
The main difference between care homes and home care is that one means your loved one moves into a support facility, while the other sees a care team come to them at home.
A care home can be a residential home or a nursing home. In a residential home, they’ll still receive support with day-to-day tasks like washing, bathing, getting dressed, and eating, but there’s no medical support. For daily care and medical support, they’ll need a nursing home.
With home care, the type of support they receive is tailored to them, without the need to move to a separate home. Both daily care and medical support are available.
Home care is medical support for age-related or complex medical conditions delivered from the comfort of your own home.
Designed to help people live independently and manage medical needs, home care can range from support with getting the shopping to assistance with medication. A large part of home care is offering companionship to the elderly, too.
Conditions such as Alzheimer’s, motor neurone disease, Parkinson’s, or dementia in particular may benefit from home care, especially during the more advanced stages.
One of the biggest benefits of home care is that you don’t need to move anywhere to receive bespoke support, as the carers come to you.
Having dedicated medical care at home may be a comfort for many across the UK, as data shows that 69% of people would reject residential care. In fact, that statistic rises to 72% for those 75 and over.
We know costs are often a big concern when it comes to home care, but it’s actually one of the more cost-effective methods of care. What’s more, some conditions are eligible for financial support with home care through the NHS Continuing Healthcare scheme.
Eligibility is need-based, meaning it’s determined by whether you have a complex primary care need, rather than based on specific conditions.
Being at home isn’t just a comfort for many – it’s tied to their sense of self. After all, they’ve created and lived a life within those walls. Staying in that home to receive care helps them keep their sense of independence.
With home care, you’ll have the same carers by your side every step of the way. When companionship feels like a struggle, home care helps foster and nurture new friendships with your personal team of carers.
Many care needs change as the condition advances. When this happens, the care offered needs to change, too.
With home care, your loved one has their own team who’ll reassess their support as their condition advances. As such, they’ll be able to prepare for the future when your loved one may require more long-term, full-time support than they do at the moment.
With home care, you have more control over your loved one’s care, such as hand-picking their carers or making specific requests. For example, if you know your family member loves certain music, you can ask their carers to play it and listen to it with them.
A care home is a residential facility providing care for those with age-related needs or medical conditions.
There are two types of care home – non-medical and medical. With a non-medical care home, you receive basic everyday care, such as bathing or getting dressed, while a medical care home provides the same with medical support, too.
You can also get specialist care homes that care for people with specific complex needs such as dementia or traumatic brain injuries.
Care homes offer many benefits, especially for the elderly or those with care needs that can no longer be properly managed at home.
One of the biggest benefits of a care home is access to around-the-clock care. No matter the time of day or night, there are carers on hand to offer support. For families of those in a care home, it can be a great comfort to know someone is looking after their loved one 24/7.
Staff-run events mean care homes are an excellent place for socialising and making friends, helping people feel less lonely.
Lastly, the specialist care those with medical needs can receive in care homes is a huge benefit, especially for those with long-term, deteriorating conditions. Carers will adjust their support when needed to provide bespoke support that caters to their changing needs.
One of the biggest challenges of both home care and care homes is the financial cost. So, let’s break down the figures for each to help you make the right decision for your loved one.
While these are the average prices, the exact amount you’ll pay is variable depending on a range of factors, including:
To get an accurate idea of the cost of care homes or home care, it’s always best to request a quote. From there, you can compare the costs and what’s included to find the right one.
When you just want the best for your loved one and their care, it can feel impossible to choose between home care and a care home – we’re here to help you settle on one.
To help you easily compare the two options, we’ll break down the benefits of each option and the average prices in the table below.
Home Care vs Care Home | |
Home Care | Care Home |
Stay at home | Move into a facility |
Hours of care adjustable | 24/7 hour care as standard |
Family closely involved | Day-to-day care handled by staff |
Care plans easily adjustable | Plans adjusted by care team |
More independence | Close supervision |
£350 to £1,000+ per week (avg.) | £800 to £1,600 per week (avg.) |
Everyone’s care is unique to them, but in general, care homes or home care are typically suited to different types of needs. For example, a care home might work best for those with advanced care needs, while home care is usually best for mobility, nutrition, and medication management.
Here at Mountbatton Care, we know it can feel overwhelming when you’re trying to arrange care plans for a loved one, but we’re here to support them every step of the way.
With our home care services, your loved one receives bespoke support from friendly, professional carers. We offer dedicated care for conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, or motor neurone disease, as well as day care and night care.
If you think your loved one would benefit from home care, get in touch with us today. Call us on 0151 920 5797 or fill out our contact form and we’ll call you back.
Whether you’re looking for support for yourself or a loved one, we’re here to help.