What Is It Like Living in a Care Home?

Care homes should provide safe, nurturing environments for older adults who need support with their health and personal care needs and day-to-day tasks. If you are considering residential living, it is only natural to wonder: what is life like in a care home?

Care home residents must receive round-the-clock support from qualified staff. They should also enjoy choosing from a range of meaningful activities designed to promote physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

At KYN, we aim to enrich our residents' lives with the highest standards of care and recreational pursuits. In this guide, we will discuss what happens in a care home and the benefits of residential living.

What Is Life in a Care Home Like?

The main aim of residential care is to provide support to older adults who may struggle to live independently. Good care homes strive to improve each individual's quality of life: supporting their dignity, maintaining their identity and encouraging independence.

But what are care homes like to live in? Generally, residents must be free to choose their own daily routine in a care home. They can decide when to get up, what activities to take part in, and what (and when) to eat. Friends and family can visit as often as they like, and carers are available to provide assistance round-the-clock.

Round-the-Clock Care and Assistance

One of the main benefits of a care home is that residents have access to 24-hour support. Carers are on call day and night to assist with day-to-day tasks such as bathing, dressing and taking medication.

A care home will work with residents and their families to create individualised care plans, taking into account their medical history, needs, risks, abilities and preferences. At KYN, our carers take a holistic approach, treating the mind, body and spirit as a whole.

Activities and Entertainment

What do you do in a care home? Aside from providing care and assistance, care homes must offer a variety of meaningful activities to support residents' mental wellbeing. When considering a care home it can be important to check what activities they provide. Opportunities vary from home to home, but may include:

• Creative workshops
• Intellectual pursuits, such as puzzles and chess
• Gardening and flower arranging
• Film screenings
• Yoga or Pilates classes
• Visits to local events and beauty spots

KYN residents enjoy a rich and varied lifestyle full of cultural, social and intellectual opportunities. Residents are free to pick and choose pursuits from our thoughtful, diverse and ever-changing programme. Some examples include culinary and mixology classes, indulgent in-house spa treatments and talks from visiting artists and musicians.

Residents can participate in a variety of social clubs, including our Current Affairs Club and Literature Appreciation Society. We also regularly organise outings to historical sites and areas of natural beauty.

Dining and Nutrition

According to UK law, all care homes must provide nutritious food that caters to residents' dietary requirements. As well as breakfast, lunch and dinner, residents should be free to enjoy a variety of beverages and snacks throughout the day.

Many care homes offer a choice of meals from a regularly rotating menu. When considering a care home, it can be important to check their arrangements regarding meals and choices.

KYN’s talented chefs specialise in fresh, seasonal dishes prepared to five-star-hotel standards. Our carefully designed menus offer a variety of delicious, nutritionally balanced options centred around residents’ personal tastes and dietary requirements.

Our residents also have full flexibility over when, where and with whom they dine. They are free to take lunch or dinner with loved ones in The Great Room or enjoy meals and snacks in the privacy of their own room. Our in-room dining service is available 24 hours a day.

Visits from Friends and Family

One of the most important benefits of a care home is the opportunity to enjoy visits with loved ones. Spending quality time with family and friends is crucial for maintaining mental and emotional wellbeing. Some care homes set specified visiting hours, while others offer more flexible arrangements.

At KYN, we understand the importance of keeping loved ones close. In addition to our beautifully equipped rooms and suites, our homes feature spacious communal areas and landscaped gardens perfect for socialising. Families are also encouraged to join residents for activities and mealtimes.

What Is Life in a Nursing Home Like?

A nursing home is a type of care home that employs both trained carers and qualified nurses. Residents with complex medical needs can receive round-the-clock nursing care as well as assistance with day-to-day tasks.

Daily life in a nursing home should revolve around each individual's assessed health and care needs, preferences and lifestyle choices. Like residential homes, nursing homes must provide fresh, nutritionally balanced meals and a variety of recreational pursuits. Residents are supported in their independence and encouraged to partake in activities that suit their lifestyle and abilities.

Learn More About Life at KYN

At KYN, we strive to set unprecedented standards for what care should be, and to enrich the lives of each of our residents. We have designed our homes to be inspiring, beautifully decorated environments in which we ourselves would wish to live.

Each day, residents can select from a varied programme of social, creative and intellectual pursuits. Participate in the Literature Appreciation Society, make their own soap, partake in wine tasting workshops, or nurture the body and spirit at our in-house spa. Enjoy day trips with fellow residents, or indulge in delicious, Michelin-inspired meals with family and friends.

Contact KYN today to learn more about life in our beautiful homes. To request a brochure, fill in our enquiry form, call us on +44 (0) 20 3535 1923 or email enquiries@kyn.co.uk.