10. Care Home Medicine Flashcards
What percentage of people over the age of
a) 65 years
b) 85 years
live in a care home?
a) 4%
b) 15%
What are the differences between a residential home and a nursing home?
Residential homes provide accommodation and personal care (e.g. help washing, dressing, taking medications, toileting).
Nursing homes provide personal care, and there will be always be ≥1 nurse on duty to provide nursing care (e.g. NG tubes).
How much does a care home cost?
£800pw for a residential home.
£1000pw for a nursing home.
How can people pay for their care?
- self funding
- family funding
- financial help from local authority via Adult Social Care (care needs assessment)
What are some common health problems in care homes.
- dementia
- frailty
- post-stroke
- heart failure
- cancer
- osteoarthritis
What is the prognosis following care home admission?
Most patients remain in care till death.
Average life expectancy:
- 24 months in residential care
- 12 months in nursing home
How do people enter care homes?
- following medical crisis (unforeseen)
- planned admission
- personal preference
- respite care
- short term admission for rehabilitation
What is the process of admission to a care home?
1) referral (self, local authority, family member)
2) visit homes interested in
3) pre-admission assessment by staff from the home, to determine they are able to meet the individuals needs
4) funding agreement
5) admission
6) six-week review
Give some examples of supportive care in residential homes.
- washing and dressing
- helping take medication
- changing dressings
- preventing pressure sores
What are the ceilings of care in a nursing home?
ReSPECT form and DNACPR discussions need to be had.
Need to determine escalation preferences of patients, to determine ceiling of care (ie. admission to hospital?)
What is a carer?
A person of any age who provides unpaid support to a person, who wouldn’t be able to manage to live independently or whose health would deteriorate without this help.
What are some reasons someone may need a carer?
- frailty
- disability
- serious health condition
- mental illness
- substance misuse
Carer job description.
What are some challenges for carers?
Impact on health:
- chronic stress / burnout
- mental health problems
- lack of sleep
- self neglect
Social impacts:
- lack of assistance
- isolation
Financial strain
What is the carer’s allowance?
Allows carers to claim £76.75 per week provided they are for someone at least 35 hours a week, and they get certain benefits.
What are some common signs and symptoms of caregiver stress?
- anxiety
- tiredness
- difficulty sleeping
- trouble concentration
- feeling resentful
- drinking, smoking or eating more
- cutting back on leisure activities
What are some suggestions to help with caregiver burnout?
- keep on top of own health
- exercise
- eat well
- join a caregiver support group
- look into respite care
What are the types of respite care?
- day care centres
- homecare from a paid carer
- short stay in care home
- respite holidays
- sitting services
What is emergency respite care?
Encourage carers to consider who they can contact in an emergency if they cannot care for an individual, for example due to carer accident or illness.
Ensure:
- contacts have door keys or know the code to a key safe
- contacts know the type of care the person you look after will need
What are the funding options for respite care?
- council (needs assessment, carer’s assessment)
- charity
- self-funding
