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What is residential aged care? Aged care nursing homes explained

Submitted by Emma Hamilton on Tue, 30/12/2008 - 10:06am

Residential aged care is designed to meet the needs of older people who can no longer remain living at home.

The need to move into an aged care home often comes without warning. Some families are forced to find an aged care home at short notice.

For others, a gradual decline in health means families are able to predict and plan for a person’s future care needs.

In this article:

A personal experience

Types of aged care homes

Residential aged care homes vary greatly in style and design and cater for people with a variety of needs. Some are designed for people who are relatively independent, others cater for people with more complex care needs.

Residential aged care homes can be privately owned, run by church groups or other non-for-profit organisations. Residential aged care homes are divided into low level care homes (hostels) and high level care homes (nursing homes).

To access residential care that is subsidised by the government, you first need to be approved by the Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT). For older people who are relatively independent other forms of accommodation may be more suitable.

Residential care that does not require ACAT approval includes serviced apartments, extra service nursing homes, independent living units or retirement villages. These homes will have their own assessment process and it is best to contact them directly.

Investigating your options early on can help with future decision making and give you more control over your future. 

 

Low level care homes (hostels)

Low level care homes or hostels are for people who cannot manage at home and need basic help with personal care. This may be assistance with showering, meals, laundry and medication.

Most people in low level care have fairly good mobility and can independently get out of bed or a chair, walk to the dining room or go to the toilet with minimal assistance. Residents usually have their own room and bathroom, with shared social and recreational areas.

Not all low level care homes will be suitable for people with dementia. A low care "Dementia Specific" unit within a secure environment may be more appropriate but again it is highly individual and will depend on a person's care needs.

The qualifications of nursing staff will also vary. Personal care assistants may help with daily tasks whilst a registered nurse is usually available on-call in case of an emergency. Physiotherapy, podiatry and occupational therapy may be provided. 

 

High level care homes (nursing homes)

High level care homes (nursing homes) cater to people with more complex medical conditions that require 24 hour assistance or care of some kind. Most nursing home residents need extensive help with mobility and transferring, continence, eating and drinking.

High level care homes (nursing homes) are staffed with a mixture of registered nurses, enrolled nurses and personal care assistants.

Aged care homes can vary dramatically in design and style. Older nursing homes often have rooms shared by 2-4 people with communal bathrooms. Others have single rooms with bathrooms, or a mixture of both.

In some aged care homes, residents with dementia are separated into specialised or secure dementia units, other facilities will house a mixture of residents.


High level aged care homes provide:

  •  24-hour nursing care
  •  Bathing, showering, personal hygiene and toileting
  •  Basic furnishings including beds and linen, chairs, soap, toilet paper, shaving equipment
  •  Mobility assistance and equipment
  •  Specialised dementia care
  •  Palliative care
  •  Meals and assistance with feeding
  •  Medication management
  •  Help with incontinence
  •  Wound care
  •  Assistance with communication
  •  Access to allied health such as physiotherapy, podiatry and speech therapy
  •  Social activities and outings 

 

Extra service aged care homes

Extra service aged care homes provide a higher standard of accommodation with "hotel" like features and service. Extra service aged care homes provide these additional services for an accommodation bond and a higher daily fee.

They are still required to deliver the same standard of nursing care as legislated by the government. Extra service aged care homes provide residents with additional choice on the type and degree of service they want.

Extra service nursing homes may have additional features such as:

  •  Single rooms with own bathroom
  •  Hotel-like interiors and decor
  •  Reverse cycle air conditioning
  •  Specialised meals with more choice and restaurant-style service
  •  Aromatherapy
  •  Hydrotherapy
  •  Entertainment rooms, library and computer facilities
  •  Higher staff to resident ratio 

 

Ageing in Place

A residential care complex can have a hostel and nursing home on the one site encouraging people to move from an area of low level care to high level care when their care needs change. This is called "ageing in place" and allows people to receive high level care in a low level care home so they don't have to move.

If you think the person you are caring for will need more complex care in the future, talk with each aged care home about your future options. Ageing in place can help couples with different care needs remain together but not all hostels will offer this service. 

 

TIp:
Aged care homes can have long waiting lists. If the person you care for is likely to need nursing home care in the future, investigate your options early on.

 

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