Care homes

Care homes are for older people who are unable to remain at home for their own safety or cannot manage to live without the help of other people.  This could be because they:

• are too frail to remain at home
• have dementia
• have long term nursing care needs

Accessing a care home 

If you are funding your own care, you may contact the care home directly. You should research a number of care homes to find the most suitable for your needs, location and price. If you need financial support you must complete a care and support needs assessment. This will determine needs and eligibility to funding and explain the process. You can fill out a  care assessment or call Reading’s Adult Social Care on 0118 937 3747 for further information and advice. 

Features of older people’s care homes 

Residential: 

• Personalised care plans and person-centred care 
• A minimum age for residents usually 65+ 
• Self-contained apartments or room with ensuite bathroom 
• Accommodation, choice of meals and help with personal care (healthcare needs are met by community health services) 
• 24-hour emergency help call system 
• On site care and support staff, providing personal care and domestic services. 
• Communal facilities and services such as a lounge, dining area and garden 
• Social activities and for residents and other organised family inclusive events. 
• Services such as hairdressers, chiropodists, physiotherapy, entertainments 
• Emotional wellbeing and mental health support 

Nursing (as above including): 

• A qualified nurse must be on duty at all times. 

Registration and quality of care 

All care homes must be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). This means they must meet certain standards. If a home wishes to offer specialist services (such as nursing care) they must be registered for this. The Care Quality Commission use green, amber and red flags to reflect the performance of the care homes they inspect. 

Many homes are also registered to meet the needs of cultures or religions. They do this by employing staff who speak appropriate languages or by delivering services in a sensitive way.

Useful websites 

Adult Social Care Assessment 

Age UK’s advice on finding and arranging social care for the elderly 

Berkshire Care Services Directory on the Care Choices website 

Care Quality Commission (cqc.org.uk)