Moving into a care home

Most people can stay in their own home with the right support. If you need more help or 24-hour care, a care home may be the safest and most comfortable option. You can choose a short stay to recover or give family carers a break, or you can move in permanently.

All care homes in Scotland are registered and inspected by the Care Inspectorate.

Types of care homes

Residential care homes

These offer support with daily tasks such as washing, dressing and taking medication. Staff are trained to at least Scottish Vocational Qualification level 2.

Nursing homes

These provide the same support as residential homes, but with qualified nurses on duty at all times.

Dual-registered homes

Some homes offer both residential and nursing care. This can help you stay in the same home even if your needs change.

We run three residential care homes in South Lanarkshire. Many other homes in the area are run by voluntary organisations and private companies. You can find these in our care homes directory.

Choosing the right home

Think about what matters most to you:

• staying close to your local community
• having your own room and bathroom
• visiting times for family and friends
• meals, snacks and catering for special diets
• activities and social spaces
• whether you can bring your own furniture, TV or phone
• access, lifts and how easy it is to move around
• trying a short stay before deciding

Inspection reports for every home are available on the Care Inspectorate website.

Getting advice and costs

Before making a decision, speak to our social work team. We can assess your needs, explain costs, and help you explore all your options. You can contact us, complete our social work enquiry form or go to our webpage on care costs.

Some services, such as hairdressing or newspapers, additional activities or enhanced accommodation may cost extra. Please check what is included in the weekly rate.

When you move

You may need to tell:

• Council Tax
• benefits
• your GP, dentist or hospital
• your bank
• insurance and utility providers
• phone or internet providers

You can watch our film on residential care in South Lanarkshire.

Here's a film on what one of our care homes has to offer.

Funding for moving into a care home

If you are thinking about moving into a care home, it is important to know how care is funded in Scotland. What you pay depends on your assessed care needs and your financial situation, including income, savings and any property you own.

After your care needs assessment, we will carry out a financial assessment. This looks at your pensions, benefits, savings, investments and other assets to work out what contribution you may need to make.

In Scotland, personal care and nursing care are free for anyone who is assessed as needing them. These payments are made directly to the care home and reduce the amount you pay.

Depending on your savings and assets, we may pay some or all of the care home fees up to our standard rate. If you pay your own fees, you will still receive free personal care and nursing care if you are eligible.

If you would like advice, contact your local social work office. Independent organisations such as Age Scotland or Care Information Scotland can also provide guidance.