You may need to consider moving to a care home if you:
- can no longer stay in your own home, even with extra help and after home adaptations
- need more help than sheltered housing or extra care housing can provide
Choosing a care home
It is important to find a care home that is going to provide the right level of care to meet your needs.
The main types of care homes are:
Residential care homes
These homes provide 24-hour help with personal care such as eating, washing, dressing and taking medication.
Residents can still get healthcare from GPs and district nurses as they would if they were at home.
Nursing care homes
These homes provide 24-hour nursing care. They are for people with more complex needs who need support from a registered nurse.
Other types of care homes
There are also care homes that provide:
- both residential and nursing care (known as dual registered care homes)
- specialist care for people with dementia, people with learning disabilities and people with mental health needs
Some care homes also offer short-term placements. For example, if you are recovering from an illness, a hospital stay, or if your carer needs a break (known as 'respite care').
Our residential and short breaks service
We provide a short breaks service in Essex for adults with disabilities.
You will need to contact Adult Social Care for an assessment before you can use this service.
Find a care home
If you're looking for a care home for an older person, you can use the Essex Care Search website. You can refine your results by the type of care home, location and the facilities they provide.
You can search for local care homes on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) website.
You can also read their guide on what can you expect from a good care service
Healthwatch offers independent advice on health and social care service. Read their guide on five steps to follow when choosing a care home.
Age UK offers advice on finding a care home.
Paying for a care home
Most people have to pay something towards their care and support. How much you pay depends on your income and assets.
Find out more about paying for care and support.
Paying for your own care (self-funding)
If you are not eligible for financial support from the council, you will have to pay the full cost of your care home fees.
Talk to an independent financial expert to get accurate and impartial advice.
Even if you're paying for your own care home fees, you can still contact us to have a chat about your care and support needs.
If you need to pay for your care home fees you can apply for Attendance Allowance. This is a benefit to help older people who need extra help with care costs. Find out more about Attendance Allowance on GOV.UK.
Report a concern
If you are concerned about someone not being treated properly in a care home, report it.