Getting worried.difference between care and nursing home?

[Helenluvsrob]

In many ways dad improved after the low at the middle of the week.

I hope my concerns are groundless but what things make a nursing home placement needed over a care home?

[Unescorted]

A nursing home ( extra care) provides some medical support too.

[Owllady]

Nursing homes, well you need nursing care for a whole host of reasons. Continence, sores, medicines, specialist diet etc. It's high level care for complex cases, including end of life.

Care homes obviously provide care, but not for such complex needs

I'm sorry about your Dad. I think it's an absolute minefield knowing what to do for the best

[PacificDogwod]

A nursing home has some qualified nurses on staff; a care home employs carer, so no nursing training amongst the staff.

A nursing home is required for people with, say, dementia, or who need daily insulin injections/have pressure sores/other medical needs.
Care homes can be very homely indeed with somebody around 24/7, but no nursing input.
Both types of residential homes will have GP/medical cover.

[PacificDogwod]

Helen, have you looked at some homes near you?

It is so difficult - strength to you

[Helenluvsrob]

Pacific, he's in a great care home. They all love him. This week though he's needed 2 to mobilise ( at one point needed 2 yo transfer chair to wheelchair) needed help eating and drinking and become in continent because he can't get to the loo so I'd wearing pads - but I think he could be continent and wants to be.

Yesterday the team weren't really on the same page as the team in the week. Thry gave him soup in a cup - which he couldn't manage and tipped down him, and then I arrived as he was squishing a bit of quiche with his fingers. I don't think he " got" that it was food. He was also slumped in an arm chair rather than sat at the table as usual. And he " hadn't been drinking his cups of tea"

Ds and I went re positioned him and he drank a pint if squash with a straw with help .i fed him 2 yoghurts too.

I had a word with the senior - shed left him with the soup! He can lift a cup but actually getting stuff into his mouth isn't easy anyway and now is worse.

And when he wanted the loo we were told he'd have to hang on till the other girl came. We got him up and he walked to the loo on his frame - getting there as the 2 carers finally arrived to help him in.

I'm hoping his named lead is on tomorrow to have a chat. I don't think he's anywhere needing nursing but needs escalated hands on care and awareness of this.

[PacificDogwod]

Oh, right, sorry, I did not realise he was in a home already - apologies. I don't think I've seen your previous thread/s.

If he is worse than his 'usual' or 'good' self, a medical review might be a good idea. A UTI in the elderly can be asymptomatic except for increasing confusion/reduced function and poor mobility.

There is no doubt in my mind that the overwhelming majority of care staff are very caring and do their best, but IME most care homes are also understaffed and carers are often not v well supported in terms of training etc.

Speaking to his named lead carer is an excellent idea.

[bigTillyMint]

Oh Helen It sounds like you are doing everything right and have identified the problems. I agree, speak to his lead carer and see what they think. Unfortunately it might be down to the way different agencies/people interpret "needing nursing care" and how they are able to meet their needs.

Good luck.

[SaveSomeSpendSome]

I ve got alot of experience in home care, dementia care, nursing care and residential care.

Nursing homes have to have a nurse on the premises at all times. The have better beds like the beds that sit you up, raise in height etc etc. They deal with PEG feeding which is were someone is fed through a tube in their stomach.

Years ago if someone had bad pressure sores, were in bed all day, had uncontrollable diabetes, needed feeding etc then they were go into a nursing home. However its not the case anymore.

Nursing homes can be around £200-£300 a week more expensive per resident than residential homes/care homes.

The government and local authority dont like paying nursing fees unless absolutely necessary so they tend to keep people who really are nursing care in residential homes. This is were the problems begin as people need specialist nursing care and instead of having nurses to do it, they have having carers doing it.

From what you describe about your father he sounds boderline nursing however i can imagine the local authority saying hes not severe enough to be transferred to nursing.

In residential homes a district nurse visits daily to change people dressings etc where as in a nursing home the nurses deal with all that.

[Helenluvsrob]

PD. He's recovering from a uti. It's all went umm tits up from Tuesday. Mind you his mobility was odd for no real reason for a good 6 weeks- we have a geriatric slot on Friday About this.

Hes so much better today. He's communicating as well as usual now which is bril and awake watch Sherlock homes with me :) .... Umm scrap that he's asleep now but I expect he's seen this so many times lol :)