Nursing homes, colloquially called old people’s homes, care homes, or retirement homes, are places which provide residential care for elderly or disabled individuals. Nursing homes are common throughout the Western world but are less present in many other cultures. A typical nursing home provides 24-hour care and support for its residents, with many having at least one nurse on duty at all times.
Nursing homes are commonly run by the state, although private nursing homes do exist, but tend to be much more expensive, although typically having better facilities. This creates a significant divide in old age, between those with and without wealth, something that campaigners have been attempting to point out for many years wi
th mixed success. It has been considered controversial by many, that nursing homes happen to typically charge precisely what the state pension rate happens to be, leaving the elderly with little to no spare money each month. This can be disastrous for the elderly, as their freedom is severely restricted, which can lead to health issues, such as arthritis from lack of movement, as well as depression from isolation.
If you are looking for a nursing home for an elderly person, it’s important to make sure you do as much research as you possibly can, including visiting the premises and talking to existing residents. Unfortunately, for a lot of state-owned facilities, this is not possible. While the reasons for this may vary, it very often comes down to the little choice that is given.
