Residential care for older people

Residential care homes provide a service for people who have no serious medical conditions, but who can no longer manage in their own home (because of their illness, disability or frailty), even with support from social services, friends and carers. Residential homes are registered with the Commission for Social Care Inspection and are inspected on a regular basis to ensure they meet specific standards. These inspection reports are available to the public.

Residential care for people who need constant monitoring and care because of their medical condition is provided by care homes with nursing.

What kind of residential care is available?
Different kinds of residential care include:

long-term care for people who need considerable assistance in order to function from day-to-day
short-term residential care (short breaks) for people who need a break from home, or to provide a break for their carers.
specialist residential care for peole from different ethnic groups who need homes that cater for their cultural needs

Homes are run by the council, by voluntary (or non-profit-making) agencies, and by private individuals. All registered homes are inspected regularly by the Commission for Social Care Inspection.

Ealing care directory
A directory (pdf) of local residential and nursing homes.

How do I apply for residential care?
If you are having problems managing at home (or, if you are in hospital, and expect to have difficulties once you are discharged) you or someone on your behalf should contact your care manager if you have one. If not, then in the first instance you should telephone the customer contact centre on (020) 8825 8000; or visit your nearest social services reception point.

You will be asked for more information about yourself and the team may arrange for a care manager or care organiser to visit you and find out more about your needs and circumstances. They will also need to contact other people who know you or your family well (such as your doctor). However, they would only contact such people with your permission. This process is called an 'assessment'. Together, you, your carer and your care manager will decide what services are most suitable for you.

Assessments can also be undertaken on behalf of a carer (a person who looks after a relative or friend) to find out what their needs are and how they might best receive support.

The Data Protection Act 1998 defines the rules for processing personal information and applies to most paper and computer records.

Will I qualify for residential care?
So that services are allocated fairly, there are a number of conditions ('criteria') that people need to meet in order to qualify for a service.

People who qualify usually live in the borough and are of pensionable age and are one of the following:

unable to stay in their own home even with support from social services
unable to live at home even with support from a carer
at risk of serious harm if left alone for any period of time
a serious risk to others
at risk because of mental frailty

Do I have to go into residential care?
There are national and local policies which give guidance to social services on the admission of people into residential homes. In general, it is expected that social services will provide support services in the community so that everyone can continue to live in their own homes for as long as possible.

What will a residential home cost?
In general, people who have savings and/or assets of more than £20,500 (figure as at April 2005) will usually have to pay the full cost of their care. People who have less than this amount will probably have to make a contribution to their care. You can find out more about these charges from the social services finance team on telephone number (020) 8825 7066.

What if I am able to pay for myself?
If you are able to pay for yourself, or if you have sufficient savings so that we are not able to provide you with financial support, then we can provide you with a list of residential homes from which to choose. A care manager may be able to discuss your decision with you.

Feedback
We welcome your comments and suggestions about any of our services and how they may be improved. The customer care unit can deal with your comments or complaints, and they can be contacted on (020) 8825 8100; email: sscallcentre@ealing.gov.uk; or write to Social Services, Perceval House, 14-16 Uxbridge Road, Ealing, London W5 2HL.