Comparing in-home care to residential care

The decision of whether to place a family member in residential care can be difficult. We’ve put together some information below to help you make the right decision for you and your family.

What is in-home care?

In-home care means your family member can stay in the comfort of their own home but receive access to services and support to keep them safe, well and comfortable for as long as possible.

The range of services is varied and includes personal, domestic and even complex medical support.

What is residential care?

Residential care is centred around caring for people when they are no longer able to manage at home and require more intensive support and services. The residential care facilities, often referred to as nursing care homes provide a living environment with qualified staff who are onsite 24 hours a day.

When should a person move to residential care?

This question is difficult and depends mostly on the person’s home environment, health condition and access to appropriate services. As more people are getting access to services in their home environment, the average age of admission to residential aged care is increasing. Currently the average age is 85 years and is expected to continue rising over time.

What is the difference between in-home and residential care?

We’ve created this handy table to help you determine the most appropriate care for your family member based on a variety of categories.

	In-home care	Residential care
Support level	As required depending on the health and needs of the individual and carers.	24-hour care facility provides all meals and support for personal care and medical attention. Depending on the facility also provides social activities and interaction.
Financial	Financially disadvantaged have costs capped at 17.5% of standard single aged pension. Self-funded retirees (including part-funded) have daily and yearly caps with a lifetime cap of approximately $65,000. In-home care is becoming more affordable with more packages becoming available.	The average entry cost is $350,000. On top of the entry cost is a daily cost, which is means tested, and capped at a yearly fee of $25,000.
Happiness	Living in a familiar comfortable environment with access to support and care is the best option for happiness and mental health.	Unfortunately some studies suggest up to 50% of residents suffer from some form of depression as they have been taken from their own environment and lost their independence.
Stage of life	For individuals who want to maintain their independence and can continue at home with safety and security.	Increasingly residential care is for individuals who are nearing the end of life.