What is a nursing home?

Lucy Henson Clark Adult Social Care Expert

16 April 2026 · 10 min read

What is a nursing home, and what can you expect from nursing home care? Find out more at Find Your Room.

If you’re looking for residential care for yourself or a loved one, it can be difficult to work out what exactly you need. You’ll see terms like nursing homes, care homes with nursing and dementia support, and residential homes. You want to choose the best care service for your needs, and it can be tricky to work out what each type of home offers.

A nursing home provides 24-hour care to residents, and has at least one registered nurse on site throughout the day and night.

Nursing homes usually support people who have complex medical needs, serious mobility issues, and those who need constant monitoring.

In this guide, we’ll explain what nursing homes are, how they differ from care homes, and discuss whether you or your loved one would benefit from nursing home care and support. We’ll also talk about how to pay for nursing homes, and help you find the right nursing home for you or your loved one.

What is a nursing home?

A nursing home is a residential care facility that provides nursing care, as well as personal care. There is always at least one registered nurse on site, so that residents can receive 24-hour medical support.

Nursing home care and support will often include:

Personal care, such as support with washing, dressing, and continence care.
Mobility assistance, such as hoisting, helping you change position in your bed or chair, or supporting you to move around the building.
Specialist medical assistance, such as changing dressings, looking after your stoma, or administering medication.
Observing changes in your health, so that they can help you to stay well.
Food preparation, as well as feeding if necessary.

A nursing home will also usually provide an activity programme for residents, and take care of housekeeping tasks, like cleaning, laundry, and gardening.

Some nursing homes only support people with particular conditions, such as dementia, epilepsy, or profound and multiple learning disabilities. However, most nursing homes will have residents with a variety of health conditions.

What is a care home with nursing?

Care home with nursing is just another term for nursing home. You might hear nursing homes called care homes with nursing, residential nursing homes, or nursing care homes.

Some organisations might also use more specific terms for their services, like care home with nursing and dementia support or nursing home for learning disabilities.

What is a dual-registered home?

When you’re looking for residential care, you might come across the term dual-registered home. Lots of care homes provide both residential and nursing care – these are called dual-registered homes. This means that they’re registered with the CQC to provide two different types of care.

If you only need personal care when you move in, but your needs increase over time, a dual-registered home can continue to support you. This means that you won’t have to move to a new nursing home as your health declines.

Nursing homes vs care homes: what are the differences?

Nursing homes and care homes are both residential care facilities, and provide support for their residents throughout the day and night. However, nursing homes can deliver a higher level of care, and have nurses on site 24 hours a day.

There are a lot of similarities between nursing homes and care homes without nursing. They can both offer 24-hour support, for example. Residents will have their own bedroom, often with an en-suite, and the home will provide meals and housekeeping services. Most care and nursing homes will have an activity programme to entertain residents, and they’ll encourage residents to socialise.

However, there are also some significant differences, too.

Differences between nursing homes and care homes include:

Staffing: Nursing homes are staffed by registered nurses and care assistants, and at least one nurse will be on site 24 hours a day. However, care homes are mainly staffed by care workers. While they may have visiting community nurses, or one nurse on the staff team, they won’t be there throughout the day and night.
Care: Nursing homes offer personal care and nursing care, whereas care homes only offer personal care. If you live in a care home and need nursing care, this could be delivered by visiting community nurses, or you might need to be hospitalised to receive the medical care you need.
Cost: Nursing homes are usually more expensive than care homes without nursing. However, residential care costs will vary depending on your location, and you may be able to access funding that helps you pay your nursing or care home fees.
Residents: In a nursing home, your fellow residents will probably all have complex health needs. However, in a care home, some residents might have minimal care needs, perhaps just needing support with taking their medication or bathing.

If you don’t need medical support from nurses on a regular basis, you might find that a care home is a better fit for you. If you’re looking for a care home, Find Your Room can help you.

Is a nursing home right for me?

Nursing homes can be ideal for people with complex health needs. You don’t need to be a certain age, or have a particular health condition. If you need help managing your health and care, and can’t stay in your previous home, nursing home care could be a good option for you.

To decide if a nursing home is the right choice for you or your loved one, consider these questions:

Do I need regular support with my health needs? This might include wound care, stoma care, or regular injections.
Am I struggling to look after myself at home? You may have mobility difficulties or memory issues, need regular medication, or be at risk of falling.
Do I have a condition that needs regular monitoring? Nursing home care can include observing changes in your health, so that you can receive treatment quickly if necessary.
Do I want to spend more time with other people? Many people with complex health and care needs are at risk of isolation. You may find it hard to leave your house safely, and only see family members or carers on a regular basis. Moving to a nursing home can help you spend time with other people.
Has a home care provider or care home manager suggested that nursing home care is necessary? Your current care providers may feel that your needs have increased and they can no longer safely support you.
Has a hospital discharge co-ordinator advised me to look into nursing home care? You may need to stay in a nursing home for convalescent care after an illness or injury.
Is my current carer unavailable? If a family member usually manages your medical needs, they may be ill, on holiday, or need a break. A short-term stay in a nursing home could help you while they can’t care for you.

If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, you may want to find a nursing home.

Do nursing homes support people with dementia?

Many nursing homes can support people with a dementia diagnosis – and some specialise in dementia care. However, not all people with dementia will need nursing care.

Lots of people with dementia are able to stay at home in the early stages of their illness. Later on, they may need more specialist care. This could be delivered in a supported living scheme, care home, or, if they need nursing care, a nursing home.

Find out more about the different options for dementia care.

Do nursing homes support young people?

When you hear the term “nursing home”, you might think of somewhere that supports older people. However, many younger adults (aged between 18-65) receive care in nursing homes, too.

Some younger people will stay in a nursing home for a short time, often while they recover from an illness or injury. Others will live there long-term.

Young people who live in nursing homes may have profound and multiple learning disabilities, brain or spinal injuries, or neurological conditions like Parkinson’s or Huntington’s disease.

Short-term nursing home care

You might not need nursing home care and support forever. Perhaps you’re recovering from an illness or injury, and you need help with post-operative care, wound management or medication administration. Alternatively, you may need to stay in a nursing home while your usual carer is unavailable – perhaps a family carer who is ill or on holiday.

Many nursing homes offer short-term stays, often known as respite care (if your usual carer isn’t available), or convalescent care or reablement (if you’re recovering from an illness or injury).

A short-term stay in a nursing home can also be a good way to decide if you’d like to live there permanently.

How much does a nursing home cost?

Nursing home care can be expensive. In 2026, the average cost of nursing home care in England is around £1,300 per week, according to Age UK. However, costs will vary depending on your location, your care needs, and the nursing home itself – so your chosen nursing home could cost more than double this amount.

These nursing home fees will usually include:

Personal care
Nursing care
Rent
Utilities
Housekeeping, including laundry
Meals

There may be additional costs for activities such as day trips, art classes, or concerts.

Getting help to pay for nursing home care

You may not need to pay the full costs of your nursing home care. Your local authority may be able to help you with nursing home costs, if your savings and assets are below £23,250. Alternatively, depending on your health needs, the NHS may pay for some or all of your fees through NHS Continuing Healthcare or NHS funded nursing care.

Find out more about the different options for care funding.

How do I find a nursing home?

If you or your loved one need nursing home care, your social worker or hospital discharge co-ordinator may be able to recommend some local facilities. Alternatively, you could ask local friends and family if they have personal recommendations.

Many people prefer to research and choose their nursing home themselves – it’s a great way to stay independent and feel that you’re involved in your own care. However, we know that it can be daunting to look for care facilities. When you search online for “nursing homes near me”, you might get a list of dozens of properties – with no guarantee that they have availability.

That’s where Find Your Room can help. Our site and app show live availability in nursing homes, care homes, and supported living schemes. If you’re looking to find a nursing home near you, simply enter your location, and contact your chosen care facility – confident in the knowledge that they have vacancies.

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