Nursing homes provide accommodation for people who need both:
- assistance from care workers with day-to-day living tasks
- care from on-site nurses who are available all the time
They are suitable for people with ongoing medical needs or who are approaching end of life.
Many homes also provide specialist dementia care with appropriately trained staff.
About the accommodation
Nursing homes typically include:
- private rooms with ensuite bathrooms
- 24-hour nursing and palliative care
- assistance with personal care, bathing, dressing, medication and meals
- communal lounges and dining area
- organised social activities
Many nursing homes are "dual registered" as care homes. This means they are able to provide both levels of care.
Applying for nursing home accommodation
Please note - paying for social care
It's important to understand that social care from any local authority, unlike the NHS, is not free. Please read more about what you might need to pay and make sure you're aware of this before requesting or agreeing to any services.
You can arrange nursing home accommodation directly and pay for it privately as a "self-funder".
However, if you wish to apply for help with funding, we first need to assess your needs and finances. See:
You can also use our calculator tool to get an idea of what you might need to pay.
Finding suitable accommodation
Nursing homes are regularly inspected and rated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
You can use their reports to find and compare nursing homes.
Information and advice
You can seek free Information and advice about nursing homes from either:
- us (see: Getting in contact)
- independent services such as Independent Age
