Dementia Care at Home vs Residential Care: How to Decide
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Dementia Care at Home vs Residential Care: How to Decide
Choosing between dementia care at home and residential care is one of the hardest decisions families face. There is rarely a perfect answer. The right choice depends on safety, wellbeing, family capacity, and how the person with dementia responds to change.
This guide offers a clear, balanced way to think through the decision.
Why this decision feels so difficult
Families often experience:
- Guilt about changing the care environment
- Fear of making the “wrong” choice
- Uncertainty about what the person with dementia actually needs
- Concern about safety, especially overnight
These feelings are normal. The goal is not to choose a perfect option, but to choose the option that best protects dignity and wellbeing right now, with flexibility to adapt later.
When dementia care at home can work well
Home care can be a strong option when:
- The person feels calmer and more stable in familiar surroundings
- Safety risks can be managed with structured support
- Family members can coordinate or share decision-making
- A consistent care team is available
High-quality dementia care at home often includes dementia-trained carers, clear routines, proactive risk management, and ongoing reassessment as needs change.
Learn more in our Dementia Care & Guidance hub.
When residential care may be more appropriate
Residential care may be the safer option when:
- Night-time risks are high and continuous supervision is needed
- Complex behavioural changes make home care unsafe or unstable
- The person’s health needs constant clinical oversight that cannot be supported at home
- The home environment cannot be adapted to safety requirements
Residential care can provide structure and continuous availability, but it also involves a significant transition and can be disorienting for some people with dementia.
Questions that help clarify the decision
- Are we managing safety day and night?
- Is the person with dementia calmer at home or distressed?
- Are family carers becoming exhausted or burnt out?
- Are risks increasing despite the current level of support?
- Would more support at home be feasible and sustainable?
If you are unsure, a calm, professional assessment can help clarify what is needed now and what might be needed next.
The middle ground: increasing support at home
Many families choose to increase care at home before considering residential care. This might include:
- Introducing overnight or 24-hour support
- Adding nurse-led oversight for clinical reassurance
- Creating more structured routines and safety plans
If you are considering this option, explore our 24-Hour & Nurse-Led Care hub.
A decision that can evolve
This decision is not always permanent. Dementia care should adapt as needs change, and many families move between different levels of support over time.
If you are facing this decision now, we can help you talk it through and plan calmly.