FAQ Nursing Homes
Funding What is the difference between a nursing home and a rest home?
Residents in a rest home are generally people who can no longer cope at home by themselves and require the safety and security of having caring staff to help with their daily lives. They might need help with dressing and bathing and their personal hygiene. They are, at least at the time of their admission, mobile and can walk with the aid of a stick or frame in the home but may need a wheelchair for outings.
Residents in a nursing home are generally more dependent than those residents in a rest home. They might have a medical condition which requires the regular attention of a qualified nurse. A qualified nurse or RGN is on duty twenty four hours a day in a nursing home. Residents in a nursing home range from those who are able to walk about unaided to residents who are bedbound and need special care to keep them comfortable.
If the home's fees are being paid by your local authority your social worker will decide whether you need residential or nursing care by carrying out an assessment of your needs.
Do you accept residents whose fees are paid by Social Services?
Yes, we have rooms in all of our homes that are available to residents funded by their local authority.
Who inspects your homes?
Under new rules all residential and nursing homes are inspected by the Commission for Social Care Inspection, a bunch of expensive parasites whose duty it is to make footling criticism of people like us trying to do their very best in increasingly difficult circumstances.
Do you admit residents who suffer from senile dementia or confusion?
Yes, while taking care to ensure that a proper balance is struck within the home between Alzheimer's cases (and other types of dementia) and those who are more alert and have their mental faculties.
How many staff are on duty the Homes?
Regulations lay down strict rules about the number of staff required at each of the homes. Edencare takes great care to ensure that we are always staffed at least to these levels, and we often exceed them.
Do your staff receive regular training?
Yes, all staff have the opportunity to attend regular company training sessions and are required to attend certain lectures on manual handling, food hygiene and fire safety. Our qualified staff regularly attend training days to keep up to date on current practice.
What are NVQs?
National Vocational Qualifications. A qualification which care assistants can achieve to prove they are competent, knowledgable and committed to their job.
Can you help residents with incontinence problems?
Yes, our staff address these issues positively and with sensitivity, providing assistance and using discretion in the use of equipment and materials.
Can a resident have a television in their room?
Yes, all rooms have a television aerial point.
What if a resident wants to make a phone call?
At each of the homes there is a payphone for residents' use and residents may install a private line to their room if they wish.
Do you charge extra for laundry?
No, our fees are fully inclusive.
How do you keep residents in touch with the outside community?
We arrange regular outings. Residents enjoy trips round the countryside, shopping in town, trips to local theatres and concerts. We also provide transport for residents to attend local clubs or societies they may belong to.
What happens if a resident has a hospital or doctors appointment?
We invariably arrange the transport to take our residents to their appointments and ensure that a member of staff accompanies them.
What about dentist, chiropodist and optician appointments?
We have visiting practitioners who come to the homes by appointment.
Do you allow smoking?
Supervised smoking by residents is allowed only in specific areas reserved for that purpose. Staff are only permitted to smoke on breaks and then only in the staff rest rooms.
What precautions do you take against fire?
We have sophisticated smoke and fire detection systems in each of our homes which are tested and maintained on a regular basis. Our staff receive regular training on how to prevent fire and on what to do should a fire occur.
What are your visiting hours?
We do not have strict visiting hours but we do ask that you avoid early morning, meal times and late evening. We actively encourage residents to go out with their families and will provide any assistance we can.
Who Pays the Bill?
What do I do if I need care?
Contact your local Social Services Department. If they think you need help they will carry out an assessment of your needs. This will involve talking to you and those people who already help you. They will give you a care plan which details the help are entitled to and may recommend that you move into a care home.
If you are in hospital the doctors and nurses may feel you need to be cared for in a care home after your discharge and will arrange for a social worker to advise and help you.
How do I find a care home?
Your Social Services Department will provide you with information about local homes that provide the type of care you need. You can also find a list of homes in your area at The National Care Homes directory. If Social Services arrange for your admission into a care home they must by law take account of your preferences.
Can I choose the home?
If you are paying the full fees yourself then you may choose which home to go into. If Social Services are making the arrangements you can choose which home to go to as long as there is a vacancy, the home provides the type of care you need, a contract can be arranged between the home and Social Services and the fees are no more than Social Services would normally pay. All Edencare homes will accept local authority-funded residents at local Social Service rates without further top-up.
What if the fees are more expensive than Social Services will pay?
If a relative, friend or charity will pay the balance of your fees you may go to a more expensive home in most cases.
Can I move from one home to another?
Yes, as long as the new home meets Social Services requirements as stated above.
How do I pay the fees?
If Social Services have arranged for you to go into a home they will work out how much you will have to pay. Your contribution towards the fees of the home will be calculated using standard rules based on your income, savings, investments and the value of any property you own. You will be allowed to keep a personal allowance of about £14 per week for personal expenses.
Social Services will calculate your weekly income including pensions and other benefits you are entitled to. They will not take into account any capital you have up to a value of £12,500.
If you have between £12,500 and £20,500 in capital you will have to pay extra towards your fees. For every £250 you have over £12,500 you will have to pay an extra £1 per week towards your fees. If for example you have £14,500 then you will have to pay an extra £8 per week towards your fees.
If you have capital valued over £20,500 (this figure correct at April 2005) then you will have to pay the full cost of your fees in the home.
If you are only going into a home temporarily (for up to eight weeks) then Social Services will ask you to contribute an amount based on your income and will allow for expenses at your own home such as council tax, rent, gas and electricity.
Will I have to sell my home to pay for my fees?
You may have to sell your home unless your spouse lives there, or a relative under the age of 16 who you are responsible for, or a relative over 60 or who is incapacitated lives there. Social Services will also take into account someone who has been caring for you and still lives in your home.
If you have to sell your home then Social Services will continue to pay your fees until it is sold. When the property has been sold they will recover the amount they have paid towards your care home fees.
Will my husband or wife have to pay anything towards my fees?
If you are not paying the full cost yourself your husband or wife may be asked to contribute towards your fees. The amount will be agreed with Social Services.
If your spouse depends on your income, Social Services must take this into account and ensure they have a reasonable amount to live on. If you are married and have an occupational pension, Social Services must only take account of half of it as long as you are giving at least half to your spouse.
What if my capital falls below £20,500 after I have moved into a home?
You should contact Social Services. If they agree the home provides the type of care you require they may help you. If they think the home is unsuitable or too expensive they may ask you to move to a different home that meets their requirements.
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Edencare does not guarantee the accuracy of the above answers. For detailed information you should contact your local Social Services Department.