Residential care
Care options
You may be living at home and finding
that it is becoming increasingly difficult to manage. This could be
because of a disability or because you are getting more frail. Or
you may be in hospital and think that returning to live at
home will be difficult for you and your relatives and
carers.
There are various care options that might make your life easier.
Residential or nursing home care is one, or a different kind of
accommodation may suit you better. You could also have help and
support to allow you to continue living in your own home.
Help from the County Council and a variety of other
organisations or individuals could make it possible for you to
continue to live safely, securely and independently in your
own home. Different care and support services or equipment may make
all the difference, for example, through having a carer coming in
regularly to provide personal care, or having special equipment
such as a stair lift installed in your house.
We may be able to provide, arrange or pay for care and
support at home for you. Or, if that is not possible, we can
provide information and advice about organising the care you need
yourself. In some cases, however, it may be that residential or
nursing home care is the right option.
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Residential care
A residential care home should provide the
care and attention you would receive at home from a caring
relative. Most residential care homes in West Sussex are privately
owned and managed.
Help is available to you when you need it 24 hours a day to
assist with:
- getting up;
- personal care, such as dressing, bathing and going to the
toilet; and
- eating and drinking.
A care home will normally offer you a single room, and increasingly
homes offer en-suite facilities. Some homes have double rooms for
couples or friends to share, but you should normally only have to
share a room if this is your choice.
In addition to your room, the care home will also provide a
lounge, dining room and other communal areas. All meals are
provided, and a range of activities are usually available,
which you may choose to join.
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Nursing care
Care homes with nursing generally care for more
dependent people who have higher, more complex or fluctuating care
needs. Residents may require the sort of care that can only be
provided under the supervision of a qualified nurse. As a result,
homes are required by law to have a qualified nurse on duty 24
hours a day. In West Sussex, care homes with nursing are privately
owned and managed.
Some care homes in West Sussex can offer accommodation and care
for people needing either residential or nursing care. Some
people may wish to choose such a home so that if their condition
deteriorates they do not have to move. Similarly, a couple with
differing needs may choose to go into the same home.
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Can I choose my care home?
Your choice of home is a very personal one and what suits
one person may not suit another. If you are funding your care
you may choose any home depending on your financial circumstances
or position. If your care home place is being funded by the
County Council you may choose any home as long as we agree
that:
- a place is available;
- it is suitable for your care needs;
- we can agree a contract with the proprietor to make sure you
are properly cared for; and
- the home does not cost more than we usually pay for the
care you need - if it does, someone else must pay the
difference.
We also make sure that a number of care homes run by Shaw
Healthcare have places available for people to maintain a good
level of choice in an area. We may look at their availability for
you when we are supporting you.
You may either look for a care home yourself or ask us for
advice and guidance. Information and help may also be available
from some local voluntary organisations, for example, Age UK.
We can give you information about a range of homes in
different parts of the county. This will help you decide which will
best meet your needs. You are also encouraged to visit the
Caringinfo website. This contains a lot of useful care information,
and up-to-date details of care home vacancies.
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How do I pay for my care?
If you are moving into a care home with help
from the County Council you will be expected to pay towards
the fees.
If you are not asking for any help to pay for your care you can
apply directly to the home of your choice. And if you only have
enough money to pay your fees independently for a short time, it is
advisable to have an assessment. This is because we can only help
with your fees in the future if:
- we have assessed you;
- the home of your choice is suitable for your needs; and
- the fees are no more than we would normally expect to pay.
The amount you will be expected to pay will be worked out according
to a national set of rules. This involves looking at your income,
including most benefits and pensions, and your capital. This
includes your savings, investments and the value of any property
you own.
You can find out more about charging in the Charging
for Residential Accommodation Guide (CRAG) on the Department of
Health website.
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Our contribution
We will make up the difference between your contribution
and the home’s fees if the home does not charge more
than we would normally expect to pay for similar
accommodation. You may still be able to enter a more expensive home
if someone else like a relative, friend or charity is prepared
to top up the additional amount for as long as you are in
the home. If not, you may be asked to move to another home.
Generally, most of your income will go towards the
cost of your care. You will also pay an additional amount based on
the value of your capital assets. For every £250, or part of £250,
over £14,250 we will assume that you have another £1 a week of
income. If you have assets of more than £23,250 we will expect
you to meet all the costs yourself until your capital reduces
to this amount.
To find out more, please see the leaflet ‘Choosing and paying
for care in a residential or nursing home' attached
below.
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Paying for yourself
If you do not require financial help towards the costs of a
care home place you can, of course, approach the home of your
choice.
The level of fees charged by care homes varies considerably, so
it is sensible to compare the fees of one home with another.
You are also advised to check what the fees cover and what you
would have to pay for - the cost of newspapers, personal toiletries
and dry cleaning are often not included.
It is important that you make sure that you are able to afford
the fees for the foreseeable future. If your capital falls below
the threshold of £23,250 you may become eligible for financial
support from the local authority. The County Council would fund
your care at the standard rates set out in the next section.
However, we may pay fee levels higher than these rates for
people under 65 who have specialist care needs.
If the amount of your savings, or capital, is not significantly
in excess of the £23,250 limit and you are choosing more expensive
accommodation than the standard rates, you would be wise to discuss
this with the manager or proprietor - ask what will
happen if the County Council meets the cost of your care.
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Funded nursing care
If you are living in a care home with nursing, or are
planning to move in to one, you should be eligible to receive
NHS-funded nursing care if you need care from a registered
nurse.
The NHS meets the costs of registered nurse time
through our local primary care trust, NHS West Sussex.
Payments for people who are privately funding their care are
made directly to the care home by the primary care trust. The
funded nursing care payment for people supported by the County
Council is included in the fee paid to the home by the county
council, who are then reimbursed. It is important to understand
that the resident will not receive the NHS-funded nursing
care payment in addition to the fee the County
Council pays.
People receiving nursing care in care homes with nursing whose
placements are not fully funded by the NHS will be assessed by a
nurse as falling within one of the following two bands.
Care homes registered to provide nursing
| Baseline social care rate (accommodation and personal care
element of nursing fee) |
£444.50* |
| Plus the NHS contribution to nursing care |
April 2011 |
| Band: standard |
£108.70 (£553.20 gross)* |
| Band: high |
£149.60 (£594.10 gross)* |
| For homes in West Sussex, nursing care is paid
gross through the County Council, with reimbursement from the
primary care trust |
| *Please be aware that WSCC is currently
consulting West Sussex providers about the fee
levels for 2012-2013. We will not know the WSCC usual maximum rates
until July 2012. The final rates will be backdated to April 2012.
You should continue to use the rates from 2011 as a guide until the
consultation and decision are finalised. |
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Community care funding
People who are assessed as needing residential or nursing care
and who are eligible for financial assistance from the County
Council are normally paid at the standard rates. These
are the usual maximum rates for 2011-2012.
Care homes registered to provide personal care
| Type |
2011/12 weekly rate from 11 April* |
| Older person: High level of personal care |
£268.00* |
| Older person with special needs (intensity/complexity) |
£345.00* |
| Specialist dementia care or older person with intensive/complex
personal care needs |
£419.25* |
| Under 65 with mental health needs |
£307.17* |
| Under 65 with substance misuse needs |
£299.00* |
| Under 65 with learning difficulties |
£333.75* |
| Under 65 with physical/sensory impairment (where impairment
began under pensionable age) |
£381.50* |
| Every person funded by the County Council is
entitled to a personal allowance of £22.60. However, the Department
of Health has stated that this should not be used to pay a
top-up or for services which should be included by the home as part
of the care service. |
| *Please be aware that WSCC is currently
consulting West Sussex providers about the fee levels
for 2012-2013. We will not know the WSCC usual maximum rates until
July 2012. The final rates will be backdated to April 2012. You
should continue to use the rates from 2011 as a guide until the
consultation and decision are finalised. |
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Registration and inspection
All registered care services must comply with national minimum
standards and regulations. Any individual or organisation
providing personal care is legally required to register with the
Care Quality Commission.
The Care Quality Commission regulates the quality of health and
social care, and looks after the interests of people detained under
the Mental Health Act.
Care Quality Commission
Phone: 03000 616161
Email: enquiries@cqc.org.uk
Headquarters
Citygate
Gallowgate
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE1 4PA
Care homes usually receive an inspection by the
Commission at least twice each year. Following an inspection a
report is sent to the care home. If you are considering
moving into a care home, you are encouraged to read this.
Reports are available online.
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Other housing options
If you don't want to go into a care home, there are other
alternatives that you may want to consider.
- Close care - is the term for sheltered housing
built in the grounds of a care home. Residents can purchase care
and support and other services, such as domiciliary care and meals,
from the nearby care home.
- Extra care housing - is designed with
accessible facilities to suit less mobile people and wheelchair
users. They have the benefit of care and support staff on site
24-hours a day, and a warden. Some schemes include the provision of
one main meal daily and cleaning services.
- Sheltered housing -
is mainly for older people and usually takes the form of a group of
small houses or flats with the availability of a warden, who can
give you some help and support in an emergency.
- Supported housing - is designed to meet
the needs of people with disabilities. Some schemes have
the benefit of a live-in warden and emergency call systems.
Other schemes offer communal accommodation to small groups of
people with similar needs. These are mainly for people with
learning difficulties and people with mental health problems.
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How to find out more
More detailed information can be found in our Care Guide 2010/2011. This
also lists registered care homes and home care services.
You can also contact your local
office and ask to speak to someone on the adult help
desk.
Housing schemes are mainly operated and
managed by housing associations or voluntary organisations.
Your local office should be able to supply details about
these.
A variety of organisations, including district or borough
councils, housing associations or private companies run sheltered
and supported housing schemes. Their housing department should be
able to give you details of what is available locally.
Or, see the Elderly Accommodation Council's HousingCare
website.
Supporting documents
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