What Is The Difference Between A Nursing Home And A Care Home?

Starting to research care homes for a loved one can feel like a minefield. There are so many care homes near you, all with different specialist services and all either using the phrases “nursing home”, “residential home” or “care home”. Among all the other details, the name of the place can feel minute, but the truth is, this detail is actually significant in your decision. Why? Because there is a difference between them. So, what is the difference between a care home and a nursing home?

In simple terms, the difference is in the level of care provided, whether it is medical or simply personal, but we will explore this further later on.

First, though, we need to clear something up. The term care home is actually an umbrella term to describe a home that provides care; it covers all types of homes. The question that is really being asked is “What is the difference between a nursing home and a residential home?”

At Primrose Lodge Weymouth, we are a residential care home located in Weymouth. We offer high-quality long-term or respite personal care to those unable to live independently for a variety of reasons. Seeing as we deliver one type of care, we are the perfect people to explain what the difference is between a nursing home and a care home or a residential home.

What Is A Care Home?

As mentioned above, a care home is a general term that covers all homes that provide any sort of care.

The term covers:

Residential care homes
Nursing care homes
Assisted living homes

Chances are, if you are searching for a care home because your loved one can no longer live independently, you will be looking for either a nursing home or a residential care home.

The right type of care home is critical to providing your loved one with the right type of care, so now let’s explain what a residential care home is.

What Is A Residential Home?

A residential home is a lower level of care as it provides personal and hygiene care rather than medical care.

While these homes will have fully trained staff, who are available 24 hours a day, they aren’t registered nurses. Therefore, they can not provide medical care.

So, what care is included in a residential home?

Assistance getting into and out of bed
Help getting dressed
Support bathing or showering
Aid with grooming
Medication management
Assistance eating
Support moving around their room and the home

As you can see, your loved one will receive help with daily living but won’t get full-time medical care.

What Is A Nursing Home?

With an understanding of what a residential home is, you now need to know what a nursing home is so that you can choose the right level of care for your loved one.

The level of care provided at a nursing home is a higher level than that in residential care because it will cover medical attention.

Nursing homes have at least one registered nurse on-site at all times. These nurses are able to prescribe and administer medication, meaning they offer care for illnesses and conditions.

This type of care is aimed at those who have a physical or mental condition who need medical care on a day-to-day basis.

Care offered in a nursing home includes:

Administering medications, injections, or IV therapy
Monitoring vital signs (blood pressure, oxygen levels, etc.)
Wound care and dressing changes
Catheter or stoma care
Post-hospital care

This is just a short list of the most common care provided at a nursing home, but if your loved one is living with any form of medical condition, such as late stages of dementia, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease or others, a nursing home is likely to be the right type of care home for them.

The Major Differences Between A Nursing Home And Residential Home

We hope that, having read the above, you now understand how these two types of care homes differ. But, to help clarify it, here is a list of the main differences so you can compare them directly.

Nursing Home

For those with complex medical needs
Higher level of care
Independence encouraged where possible
Likely to be more expensive than residential care
Registered nurse on-site at all times
Activities and quality of life are a focus, but medical care is the priority

Residential Home

For those unable to live independently but don’t need regular medical attention
Lower level of care
Independence encouraged where possible
Can be cheaper than nursing care
Non-medical trained staff on-site at all times
Activities and quality of life core focus

How To Choose Which One Is Right For Your Loved One

When first researching care homes for your loved one, it can be tricky to know which one will provide the right type of care for your loved one, even when you begin to get to grips with the differences between the two types of homes.

The best way you can figure out which care home is right for your loved one is through answering this question: “Do they need consistent medical care?”

Yes = you should be looking at nursing homes
No = you should be looking at residential homes

If you aren’t sure about your loved one's medical needs, you should reach out to a variety of homes to arrange a visit. When visiting the care home, you can discuss the care they are currently receiving and the care they can provide. The staff showing you around will be able to share how they can meet your loved ones' needs or explain how they can’t meet their needs and recommend other homes that can.

Care at Primrose Lodge Weymouth

Primrose Lodge Weymouth is a residential care, meaning we provide personal and hygiene care that allows your loved one to live as independently as possible while staying safe.

While our staff are trained to manage some medication, they are not registered nurses, meaning they can’t administer medication for complex needs.

We pride ourselves on the care provided, preparing bespoke care plans for every resident so you can be confident they receive the care they need in the way they prefer, whether they are with us for long-term care or a short respite stay. This also means we don’t overdo it and enables them to remain independent in as many ways as possible for as long as possible.

Our aim is to improve your loved one’s quality of life, which we achieve through our engaging and stimulating activities programme, nutritious, home-cooked meals and warm and welcoming facilities that are perfect for relaxing and socialising.

We would love to welcome you to our home and show you the care we provide and how your loved one could thrive with us. If you are interested in learning more, call us on 01305 786568 or complete our online contact form.