What Is Residential Care?
Residential care is a form of care provided in a care home and involves supporting residents and helping with everyday needs such as dressing, washing, and taking medication. Residential care homes are also known as care homes, and most commonly, they provide support and care for older people. Residential care provides 24/7 care with specialist support for specific kinds of needs.
Who Is Residential Care For?
People that have difficulty living independently due to mobility issues, learning disabilities, mental health challenges, and dementia often benefit from residential care and support.
Residential care often supports older people that need assistance with day-to-day tasks but may also require specialist care. There are residential care homes that specialise in providing care to younger adults as well, such as young adults with learning disabilities or mental health challenges.
What Is a Residential Care Home?
A residential care home is a facility which provides 24/7 personal care, support and accommodation to people with complex care needs or who require extra assistance. The purpose of this facility is to ensure people are well looked after and can have an enjoyable and meaningful life. Residential care homes provide residents with a sense of safety and a place of belonging where they are looked after according to their needs.
Often, nurses help residents with personal care such as washing, dressing, mobility and administering medication.
What Does Supported Living Mean?
Supported living enables individuals to enhance their independence, engage in daily activities they enjoy, and be active members of the community. Supported living is a much more flexible option than residential care as it enables individuals to connect more to their local community and be active contributors. In supported living, the amount of care and support can be tailored to the individual, starting from a few hours a week to 24/7 care.
Supported living aims to help and support people with learning disabilities, mental health challenges and other long-term conditions to retain their independence and have their own private space they call home. Its main features include independent living, tailored support and enhanced independence.
What Accommodation Is Available With Supported Living?
Supported living accommodation often involves living in housing, or an apartment block, where a community of people receiving support live. Most people find supported living the best option for them as it allows for a higher level of independence, self-reliance and the motive to build new life skills and self-esteem. However, everyone has access to the care that they need at all times.
As a service, supported living also allows people to live alone or share a space with other people. There are self-contained houses, flats, bungalows and many other bespoke solutions that suit people’s unique needs. Some homes are even equipped with cutting-edge assistive technology that helps residents perform all their daily tasks and make their daily living easier.
Key Differences Between Supported Living and Residential Care
The main difference between residential care and supported living is the level of independence each person has. Additionally, some of the other differences include a preference for socialising, living in a familiar place and being closer to family and friends. Residential care can offer higher levels of support than supported living and may be suitable for people with more substantial complex care needs.
The Right Accommodation in Health and Social Care
Supported living offers choice, control and security. Care teams are always prepared to support individuals with daily tasks and ensure that the environment always meets their individual and unique needs. This means that individuals in supported living have a home of their own but still benefit from round-the-clock care, assistance with daily tasks and more.
Living in supported care allows individuals to maximise their independence, participate in activities they enjoy, spend time outside, a get a sense of belonging within the community. Additionally, home care is becoming much more attractive with the increasing ageing population and the smaller number of care homes. Research shows that people in home care feel safer, happier and more fulfilled, spending time doing things they like and enjoy.
Why We Are Strong Supporters of Care at Home?
A home is a place of comfort and memories. Care at home provides faster recovery rates, with nurses and clinicians visiting the individual in the comfort of their own home.
Both people that require care and their family members can be more intimately involved with the treatment at home and help their loved ones by providing support on their recovery journey. Being at home is more comfortable for people as they are in a familiar environment.
Studies show that familiar spaces offer comfort and are an effective emotional healer. Also, unlike the restrictive visiting hours in care homes, care at home is a place where family and friends can come and visit any time and be close to the person at all times.
Staying Close to Your Family and Within Your Community With Supported Living
Receiving support and love from family while being integrated with the local community plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle for people with various health challenges. The clinicians at Unique Community Services prioritise helping individuals lead fulfilling lives while being close to their loved ones.
People with care at home have regular access to help with daily tasks, personal care and a tailored social activities plan, which improves self-esteem and mental well-being.
Why Choose Unique Community Services as Your Care Provider?
Unique Community Services offers care at home across the UK, helping people with complex care needs to live safely and independently in their local communities. We develop a person-centred plan and tailored support solutions matching people’s unique needs and preferences.
We support all individuals with a wide range of complex care needs, and our offices are located in Manchester and Leeds.
Contact us today to learn more about our proactive care and support.
