The Benefits of Residential Care

Residential care in a care home is an option for older people who require assistance with their daily needs due to age, illness, or disability. Choosing a care home can be a difficult decision for individuals who require long-term care and their loved ones, but it is important to consider the numerous benefits that come with living in a residential care home.

With around-the-clock support from a variety of care professionals and spending time with like-minded individuals, living in a care home can greatly enhance the quality of life for those who need assistance. It offers a safe and secure environment where residents can receive the care and support they need, while also having access to various services and amenities designed to meet their specific needs and preferences. In this blog, we will delve into the many advantages of residential care in a care home, and why it may be the best choice for those in need of support.

What is Residential Care?

Residential care is where individuals receive ongoing care and support in a communal living setting. This type of care is typically intended for elderly people who are unable to live entirely independently due to physical or cognitive limitations, such as disabilities or medical conditions, but they don’t require nursing care. Some residential care homes may often be referred to as nursing homes when they provide more complex care services such as Nursing Care or Specialist Dementia Care. If a care home provides more than one type of care, it is known as a dual-registered care home. Care homes provide services including around-the-clock, personal care, regular meal preparation and activities. The overall goal of residential care is to improve the quality of life for residents by providing a safe, comfortable, and supportive living environment.

Residential Funding

Funding residential care is something that is prominent in a lot of people's minds, and it is not something to worry about. There are options for funding from numerous sources that you can look into to see if you are eligible such as your local council. If a person's savings, assets or income are below a certain threshold, they will likely be eligible for local authority funding. Any pensions, disability living allowance or attendance allowance that you may be receiving will continue to be paid whilst living in a care home.

The Benefits of Residing in a Residential Care Home

By combining the brilliant care options and first-class facilities and services offered within a care home, residents are able to experience the benefits of group living and residential care every single day. The benefits of living in a care home include:

Living a Fulfilled Life

When you decide to move into a care home, you can expect to enjoy a life that is meaningful and fulfilling. Care homes are designed to provide care, facilities and amenities that meet a wide range of residents needs. Some popular facilities include private gardens, a cinema, a hair/nail salon and an activities programme that encompasses residents’ hobbies and interests. Providing residents with a fulfilling life should be the top priority for care homes with a variety of options to enjoy both a quiet or a busier daily schedule.

Medication Management and Administration

When residents are in a care home, they receive support around-the-clock for all tasks that they may struggle with in their own home, and medication management is no different. The care professionals within a care facility should monitor their residents’ medical needs, measure the correct medicine for them and administer and record this for them at the correct times of the day. This leaves the resident reassured and free to enjoy their days without worrying about forgetting their medicine or needing to remember to take it.

Continuum of Care

The continuum of care is described as the progression and delivery of care to a resident over a period of time. It is specifically focused on beginning the channels of communication between each individual that has an impact on older people's tailored care plans, otherwise known as a Multiple Disciplinary Team (MDT). The key benefit to this is that if a resident’s care needs were to develop or change, they can continue to be cared for to the highest degree without transition or worry.

Because each care professional working with a resident has an impact on the care they receive and the decisions made, providing a continuum of care allows them to work as a team and plan future decisions together with structure and ease. Residents that live in a dual or all-inclusive care home can rest assured that they will be cared for long-term under one roof, no matter how their care needs may change. 

Numerous Care Types in One Place

Every care home will offer different types of care in its own unique way, however, each of them will include a team of health and social care professionals who can cater to a wide range of physical and medical requirements or needs. It doesn’t matter what your personal circumstances are, residential care homes are on hand to provide person-centred care to cater for each individual's specific requirements and needs. Not only does having care professionals in one place benefit residents because they have multiple staff care staff available to provide care for a variety of care types, but it means if circumstances were to change and a person’s care needs develop, the care home is still able to look after them with the same degree of care.

Peace of Mind

There are numerous complications that come as a side effect of aging, some of these include experiencing difficulty when completing daily tasks, looking after themselves and taking part in activities they enjoy. Other difficulties could include suffering from visual impairment or mobility issues which could make days very frustrating for an individual. Care homes provide support and resolve these issues for an individual, ensuring they can enjoy their days with peace of mind. As well as this, friends and family of residents can rest assured that their loved one is being looked after in a place they feel safe and secure.

No Need For Any Financial Worries

One of the main concerns older people can face is financial-related concerns. By choosing to live in an all-inclusive care home, your financial worries can be freed, as care homes will include everything a person may need such as regular and nutritious meals, snacks and beverages, laundry, housekeeping, electricity, heating, activities and events. Some requests beyond this may be charged for but everything a resident could need is financially covered. There is also no limit to the number of facilities and services you utilise. 

Social Interaction

Another benefit of residential care is the social interaction aspect. Group living can be a brilliant idea for individuals seeking companionship as they have people to share their experiences with and mingle with other residents on a daily basis which can result in reduced loneliness and increased mental health. As well as in-home interactions, most care homes will offer their residents the opportunity to get out into the local community which opens up a new aspect of interaction with different groups of people. 

Varied Activities Programme

The majority of care homes have a varied activities programme as part of their facilities which means that residents can fill their days with whatever they wish. Care homes work closely with residents to ensure that activities are tailored to their exact interests and hobbies - keeping residents physically and mentally active plays an important part in overall health and therefore is an essential part of care. There are no limits to residents when looking for opportunities, from board games or gardening with friends to quiz nights and local excursions.

Residential Care at Etive House Care Home

Etive House is a homely all-inclusive care home offering unrivalled levels of Residential Care, Respite Care and Dementia Care. Our home has an amazing team of dedicated professionals who work tirelessly to support residents with their everyday tasks and offer them a range of services and facilities to use on a daily basis. 

Our overall objective with residential care is to provide residents with 24 hour care and the best quality of life, ensuring their mental well being and physical health is looked after to the highest degree. We offer residents numerous options for social interaction with our interactive tables and the regular activities we have available to them, and friendships are easily formed at Etive House Care Homedue to the majority of residents being from the local area, making interaction very organic and natural due to them already knowing each other.

Independence is also something we value, as we want individuals to be able to have control over their decisions and daily routine for as long as possible however we are also on hand 24 hours a day to help with important things such as personal care, companionship or mobility assistance.

At Etive House Care Home, our cinema room, games room and communal areas are currently undergoing refurbishment to make it a better home-away-from-home for our residents. We are always investing in the home to ensure residents are given the best environment and care possible.

Reach Out and Talk to Our Skilled Professionals 

Our friendly team will be more than happy to answer your questions regarding our care and facilities at Etive House Care Home in Argyll & Bute. You can easily contact us by sending us a message at admin@etivehousecare.com or call us on 01631 720278 to talk to one of our skilled staff members.