Complex care can be carried out effectively in a number of locations, however many people and their loved ones prefer to organise this type of care at home due to the benefits this setting provides. Here, we are looking at the differences between complex care carried out in hospital, in a nursing home, or at home, as well as exploring why complex care at home could offer more health benefits and a more person-centred approach, as well as being the preferred choice for those who need ongoing complex care.
At Home Instead, our aim is to help people age positively and in place by bringing expert care to their home. For nearly 20 years, we have been providing the highest standard of care, and creating industry-leading training programmes for our Care Professionals that are accredited by nursing and medical professionals. Today, we are the world’s largest global domiciliary care network, supporting over 100,000 older adults with personalised, tailored care at home. So whatever questions you have about complex care at home, we can help.
Complex care is a type of care designed for a person of any age group living with a chronic or long-term health condition. People with complex needs often require additional help each day to manage the symptoms of their condition and carry on with daily activities.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence defines complex needs as symptoms of a condition requiring ongoing treatment and support from trained medical staff. Examples of the complex needs a person may have include:
Complex care is characterised by the need for some elements of medical or nursing care in order to keep the person healthy, as well as general daily care to help the person live as comfortably and independently as possible.
For some people with serious health issues, care requires moving into a nursing home or a hospital setting, and the location of care will depend on the intensity of the needs of the person, as well as the length of time they are likely to require this for. While a nursing home or hospital may be more appropriate for some, it is possible to receive complex care at home if you would prefer to stay there, and this is likely to be arranged if you require complex care on a long-term or ongoing basis.
Below, you will find the benefits and downsides of each of these complex care locations so you can make an informed decision about where is the right place for your needs, or the needs of your loved one.
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Downsides
When people receive complex care in hospital, the aim is usually to eventually move them from hospital into either another facility like a nursing home, or ideally to their own home.
Benefits
Downsides
You may find more useful information in our guide to the benefits of home care vs a care home.
Benefits
Downsides
Organising complex care for a loved one at home is possible, and in fact, could be preferable for your loved one. One study found that, in a group of over 45-year-olds, more than 67% said they would happily receive care in their own home, while in a group of over 75-year-olds, 80% said the same.
Some elements of complex care will need to be administered by a trained nurse or a medical professional, but not all, so complex care can usually be arranged at home by bringing in a part-time or full-time carer who can help with more general daily care needs, while coordinating other specialists and professionals visiting the home who can cover all other medical needs.
If you are looking to start this process soon, you can arrange a Care Needs Assessment to begin, and the professionals who provide this through your local council can talk you through what your loved one may need and how this can be arranged – either funded through your local council or as a private option. You can read more about this in our guide to the Care Needs Assessment.
From there, a comprehensive care plan will be drawn up, and you can read more about this in our guide: All About The Care Plan.
This process can provide further advice on everything you need to know, such as how to coordinate home healthcare professionals visiting, how to arrange respite, adaptations to the home environment for safety, and further assistance.
Remember, any care workers involved in care for someone with complex needs will require specialist training in the specifics of the person’s health condition in order to effectively provide support. At Home Instead, our Care Professionals undergo specialist training to ensure they are equipped to help the person they are caring for, and our team are kept up to date on the latest care training with workshops covering everything from general guidance on medication, manual handling, safeguarding, basic life support, and much more.
As well as the aforementioned benefits of receiving complex care at home, there could also be further health benefits, including:
Another study found home-based care seemed to have a positive impact on the person’s adherence to their medication schedule, their patient satisfaction scores, and their health-related quality of life, so depending on the condition the person has, there could be multiple health benefits to choosing home care over other settings.
Research carried out for a 2022 report found that only 20% of people aged over 45 believed they would be happy to go into a residential care home later in life, so it appears to be widely understood that receiving care at home is better.
Studies find home healthcare interventions are likely to be just as effective – but less expensive – than hospital care interventions, so for many people receiving complex care in the comfort of their own home is the preferred choice. In addition, local councils tend to align with the view of the World Health Organization, which recommends older adults (who are arguably more likely to require complex care) be cared for in their own homes for as long as possible in order to maintain their wellbeing and independence.
While the health benefits and other positives of complex care at home are undoubtedly important, it seems many people simply prefer the idea of remaining in the environment that is familiar to them, and that they are comfortable in. Staying in their own home may enable them to, for example:
If home-based complex care seems like the best option for you or your loved one, and you would like to learn more about how this could fit into your life, our award-winning home care at Home Instead could offer you the bespoke, person-centred complex care you need. You can reach out to the Home Instead team to discuss your needs and allow us to create a personalised package to support you.