Moving to a residential care home

Moving to a residential care home

Residential long-term care facilities (nursing homes) are available in all EU countries for people with long-term care needs. Short-term rehabilitative care is also available when a person is ready to leave hospital but not yet well enough to manage at home, whether due to illness, disability or post-surgery.

All EU countries have a mix of either public or private, for-profit and not-for-profit residential care settings.

The authorities in each EU country are responsible for regulating residential care homes (licencing, certification, and setting and monitoring compliance with quality standards), and for helping people in need of long-term care cover the costs of their care.

Paying for residential care

The number of places, the cost, and the quality and range of care can vary greatly. The choice of a residential care home will usually depend on the geographic location, the level or speciality of care, the price and the quality.

Financial support may be available to help pay for the cost of residential care, based on certain criteria. You may have to undergo a financial assessment based on your income and assets.

Find more information from the website of the national authorities below.