Caring for someone who is in a care home

If you look after someone who moves into a care home permanently it does not necessarily mean that you stop being a carer.

You may still spend a lot of time visiting the person you care for in their care home, helping with care and keeping the person you care for company.

You should still have a carer’s assessment if you find caring continues to play a big part in your life.
 
Your benefits may be affected if the person you care for moves permanently into a care home. Contact your local carer service to see how your benefits might be affected. 

Staying involved

Once the person you care for lives in a care home you can continue to be involved in decisions about their care. Talk to the staff at the care home and make sure they know that you are a carer and wish to be involved.

Residents and relative groups

Many care homes have a residents group and carer or relatives groups. These are a chance for you, and the person you care for, to have a say in what happens at the care home and to be involved with the quality of the care given. You get the chance to raise concerns and to ask for any improvements you would like in the future. This could be able anything from staffing and personal care, to social activities and trips out. 

Relatives and Residents Association

The Relatives and Residents Association is a national charity for older people in or needing care and their relatives and friends who help them. It has a helpline where you can get free, expert advice about anything to do with older people and care homes. It also has free factsheets that you can download, including ones about rights.  

If you need to complain

If you want to make a complaint about the care the person you look after is getting from a nursing or care home, or from paid care support workers at home, then find out more about social care, care home or paid care worker complaints.

Coping with a move into a care home

When the person you care for moves into a care home it can be an emotional time for both you and them. The Care UK website has helpful information on preparing for a move into a care home.

You can also contact your local carer service for support.