Specialist Convalescent, Respite or Palliative Care in Bristol

17 February 2021

Specialist Convalescent, Respite or Palliative Care in our Bristol Nursing Homes

Whether you are looking for Convalescent, Palliative or Respite Care in Bristol for a loved one, family member or friend you will want to ensure they are being given the exceptional care that you want and need to depend on and trust.

Bristol Care Homes are independently owned and we have 4 high-quality nursing homes in different locations around Bristol. Our dedicated teams provide exceptional care to our residents every day and our primary focus is to provide excellence in all aspects of care for all of our residents. Our 4 Nursing Homes all specialise in different types of care and we can help and support you if you are looking for support or care for a loved one, family member or friend. We have a nurse on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to provide medical care if it is needed in each of our homes.

What are the differences between Convalescent, Respite or Palliative Care and when are they suitable?

What is Convalescent Care?

Convalescent care is normally provided after a stay in hospital and before someone goes home on their own. It can be after surgery, injury, illness or transitional care following a stroke or a lengthy illness. It is a transitional form of care and is normally arranged when an individual no longer needs to be in hospital, however, isn’t quite ready to go home and look after themselves.

The definition of convalescence is the gradual recovery and regain of health and strength after illness or injury.

What does the word convalescent mean?

Convalesce means, you heal or grow strong after illness or injury. The adjective convalescent means, recovering from sickness or debility. A convalescent home can be a hospital for long-term recovery and rehabilitation, or a care home offering this type of care that has the skills needed to help and support full recovery and convalesce.

What’s the difference between a nursing home and a convalescent home?

There are bespoke convalescent homes which only offer this type of support but there are also nursing homes that are registered to care and look after people who are convalescing. Bespoke convalescent homes tend to be for younger people who are recovering from an operation, accident, injury or illness, whereby a nursing home that offers convalescent care tends to be for older people.

What is a bespoke convalescent home?

A convalescent home can also be referred to as an Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF). The home would have medically skilled and trained staff who understand how to support and aid a person’s recovery. It could be physiotherapy, learning how to walk, dress, feed and bathe again, or it could just be the person needs some extra care to build their confidence before returning home after spending time in hospital. The level of support needed normally determines if a bespoke convalescent home is needed or if a nursing home offering convalescent care is enough. Anyone who moves into a convalescent home would have a recovery care plan in place and it isn’t a long term care option as it is temporary support and care.

What is the difference between someone who is sick and convalescent?

An individual who is sick is recovering from an illness, an individual who is convalescing is regaining their health and confidence.

Why would someone need convalescent care?

There are lots of patients who are now discharged from hospital when they no longer need hospital care, however, it is still too early for them to return home without the right care arrangements in place due to pressure on the NHS. If they return home too early it often delays or prevents their full recovery and this is why a short term stay in a nursing home that offers convalescent care is always beneficial.

Convalescence care supports an individual to regain their health as well as being a really important factor in building their confidence and independence before they return home.

Qualified care staff are able to monitor their recovery process, stretching them to do more but not pushing them to do too much or too soon and this allows an individual to safely return home in the long term.

Social care which includes bespoke convalescent homes and district nurse funding has decreased dramatically over the last few years and this, along with increased pressure on NHS hospitals to discharge quickly has increased hospital re-admissions.

Where older patients are concerned, national statistics have shown that re-admission figures are increasing with many having to return to a hospital within a month.

How long is a convalescent period?

Convalescence is individual to a person and how much support and rehabilitation they need. It can be for a week up to months and a specific progress plan should always be in place and reviewed regularly by nursing staff, and either a consultant or GP.

Bristol Care Homes can offer you or your loved one live-in convalescent care and support. Our teams have the skills and experience to support convalescence, recovery and rehabilitation with our main focus and purpose of getting them back to being independent, feeling well again and ensuring they are confident when they return home.

What is respite care and what is its purpose?

Caring for someone 24/7 is extremely tough and exhausting and respite care is short-term relief for primary carers. It is there to provide a break for family members or others who aren’t paid for their caring and do it full time.

Respite can also be good for the person receiving care, giving them a change of scenery and someone else supporting them for a short period of time can be healthy for them too.

Respite gives full-time carers an important break so they feel refreshed, re-energized, ready and able to be there 24/7 again.

It can be for anyone who may need a short period of specialist care that their carer cannot provide and this can be where nurses are needed if they are unwell or if they need certain medication. Respite in these circumstances prevents a person from having to go into hospital to be cared for and means they are looked after in a more homely environment. Bristol Care Homes have a nurse on duty in each of their homes 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

It can also be a good opportunity for the person being looked after to stay in a particular home if a more permanent caring solution is needed for them. The respite gives them and their carer an opportunity to see how they get on and how comfortable they are there.

What types of respite are there?

Daycare centres
Homecare from a paid carer
A short stay in a nursing home
Friends or family helping
Respite for holidays
Sitting in services

Respite in a home environment is when someone comes in to look after the person who needs care. They might take them out to an activity group or day centre for a couple of hours to give the carer a break. It can be in a healthcare facility, at an adult day centre and it is time away from home for them and a break for their carer.

Respite doesn’t always need to be in a formal setting, family members and friends can provide respite care which gives the person caring an important break away from their caring responsibility both physically and mentally.

How long can respite care be for?

It can be arranged for an afternoon, for several days or weeks at a time. A carer may have things they need to get done without the worry and time it takes caring alongside, they might be having a day out, a weekend away or a holiday. All of these are valid reasons for respite to be arranged.

Respite can be planned in advance but it can also be put in place for an emergency reason, maybe the carer is unwell or the person being cared for needs additional support and care for a short period of time if they are unwell.

Who uses respite care?

Respite is often really needed by a friend or family members who care for someone full time. It can be used for times when they need additional support or for times when they need a break from caring.

What is the difference between residential and respite care?

Residential or nursing home care is long term care where the person needing care lives-in full time. Residential respite is a temporary stay and can be planned or arranged in an emergency.

Do you pay for respite?

Councils will pay, or contribute towards respite care for carers and people being cared for who they have assessed as needing it. This is then followed by a financial assessment. You can pay for respite yourself if you have the funds to be able to do this.

How can you access respite?

Local councils will only fund respite care for people they have assessed. If you want financial support for either yourself as a carer or the person you look after, it’s important that you both have an assessment and you can find information about it below.

Carers need to have a Carers Assessment.

The person being cared for will have a Needs Assessment. This also identifies the care and support they need whilst in respite care.

If you as a carer or the person you care for qualifies for respite the council will do a financial assessment to work out if they will pay or contribute to the cost of it.

When you first start caring for someone you may feel you won’t ever need respite, however, it is always a really good idea to have options in place for any time you are unwell, your loved one is unwell, or for a time when you need a well-needed break and time to yourself as it can be exhausting both mentally and physically.

Bristol Care Homes offers respite care for days or weeks, whichever you need. It is best that respite care is planned and this ensures we have the carers and support available for the time your loved one is with us, as well as an understanding of their routine and care needs. It’s always a good idea for them to come in for a day or afternoon visit with us so they become familiar with our surroundings and rooms and this helps them to feel safe and secure when they come and stay with us for maybe a longer period of time. We have nurses on duty in all of our nursing homes 24 hours a day and they are always available for advice and support when needed.

If you need emergency respite care please don’t hesitate to contact us as we will always try and accommodate you in one of our care homes.

What is Palliative Care?

The definition of palliative care is medical care that relieves pain, symptoms and stress caused by serious illness. It is specialised medical care that focuses on providing patients relief from pain and other symptoms of a serious illness. Palliative care can be given to a patient whatever their diagnosis or stage of their illness and unknown to a lot of people it is not just for end-of-life care. Palliative care’s purpose is to improve the quality of life for the patient and their families.

In summary, palliative care focuses on the symptoms and stress of an illness or disease and the treatment. It can treat a range of illnesses.

What are the main aims of palliative care?

Palliative care aims to improve the quality of life for an individual and their family if they have a life-limiting illness. The specialist care reduces suffering by ongoing assessment, identification, and a bespoke treatment plan to manage pain, physical, cultural, psychological, social, and spiritual needs.

Where can you receive palliative care?

At your home
In a nursing home
In a hospital
In a hospice

What does palliative care involve?

Palliative care involves ongoing and regular medical assessments and evaluations. A medical plan including prescribed medication, physio and other rehabilitation methods to ease symptoms and any pain as well as supporting any other medical needs that may be as a result of a person’s condition or physical state.

What is the difference between palliative care and hospice care?

Both types of care provide comfort, medication and a plan to improve an individual’s quality of life, however, palliative care begins at diagnosis and includes treatment. Care in a hospice begins after treatment of an illness has stopped as the person receiving the care is not going to get better even with the care and medication they are being given. Hospice care is free in the UK and they can also support and provide nursing and medical care at home if needed.

Who pays for palliative care?

Palliative care can be arranged by your GP or by hospital doctors or consultant. Ask your doctor and nurse about palliative care if you feel it would help.
Bristol Care Homes offers you or your loved one live-in palliative care at some of their nursing homes. Our teams have the skills and experience to support palliative plans and to improve the quality of a loved one and their families lives.

Bristol Care Homes Registered Care Categories with the Care Quality Commission (CQC)

Dementia
Old Age
Physical Disability
Sensory Impairment

Other Care Provided

Convalescent Care
Day Care
Own GP if required
Palliative Care
Physiotherapy
Respite Care
Separate Specialist Dementia Care Unit

At Bristol Care Homes we understand that it is a harrowing and stressful time for everyone when you feel you are at the stage when you or your loved one needs a different type of care. Our compassionate and experienced team will help you decide which of our homes is best suited to their needs and will support you through this difficult time.

About Bristol Care Homes Nursing Homes

We are an independently owned group of 4 high-quality nursing homes based in different locations around Bristol. Our dedicated teams provide quality and caring services every day and our primary vision is to provide excellence in all aspects of care for all of our residents.

Our service leads the way in nursing home provision and this shows in our Care Quality Commission Ratings:

Glebe House – Glebe House Care Home Bristol CQC

Beech House – Beech House Care Home Bristol CQC

Field House – Field House Care Home Bristol CQC

Quarry House – Quarry House Care Home Bristol CQC

We are always looking to be creative and innovative in our services and we offer many features which will ensure you or your loved one maintain a high level of fulfilment and independence in life. Many of our services are unique to Bristol Care Homes and some of these include:

Beautiful gardens with plenty of greenery, trees and flowers
Environmentally designed buildings with 24/7 air circulation always keeping the atmosphere fresh and airy
Spacious rooms with increased ceiling height which gives the feel of openness
Wide corridors for ease of access
Television, DVD Player and direct line telephones in each room
Internet access in residents rooms
Customised top quality wheelchairs provided when needed
High technology baths and walk-in showers
Minibus services with a regular schedule of trips
Regular maintenance and replacement cycles of new carpets and decoration
Top Quality chefs producing tasty, varied and nutritious meals
Programme of interesting and stimulating social activities for all our residents including Animal Therapy
Warm, friendly and caring staff who get to know each resident and take time with them every day to ensure they are happy and fulfilled

If you are looking for Convalescent, Respite or Palliative Care in Bristol contact us today to find out how we can help you and your family.