Moving to a care home

This page gives you information about moving to a care home, and the different types of care homes in Portsmouth.

If you or a loved one can no longer manage at home, then a care home may be the best option. You can arrange this by:

• contacting a care home of your choice that you can afford to pay for privately
• calling the Adult Social Care helpdesk on 023 9268 0810

If you decide to go through Adult Social Care, you’ll need to be assessed. This is so we can see if there’s anything we can do to help you stay independent in the community. If there isn’t, we’ll support your move into residential care.

Anyone can ask for an assessment. There’s more information on our ‘Getting an assessment‘ page.

Whether you have to pay for your care depends on your finances and savings. Read the ‘Paying for care‘ page for more information.

Residential care homes:

• look after multiple residents.
• are staffed 24 hours a day.
• help residents with eating, drinking, washing, dressing, mobilising and toileting.
• organise social activities.
• meet some nursing needs (such as injections or dressings) with visits from district nurses.

Nursing care homes

• offer all the support of a residential care home.
• are staffed by registered nurses at all times.
• are best for those who often need medical attention, or have an illness.

Extra care and sheltered housing

Residents have their own home or self-contained living space within a purpose built block or building. There are different levels of care available with each option, with some offering 24-hour care on-site. Other types of support may include:

• shared communal areas such as lounges and laundry facilities
• carers on-site to check up on residents when needed
• alarm call systems
• daily meals and domestic support

Find out more on the ‘sheltered housing and extra care‘ page.

Visit the Healthwatch Service Directory for a full list of care homes in Portsmouth. You will be able to see the Care Quality Commission report for each home. These reports show whether the home is providing adequate standards of care.

For care homes in Hampshire, visit Connect to Support Hampshire. Other areas have information on their council website, such as West Sussex County Council.

Care Homes run by Portsmouth City Council

We run several care homes and supported accommodation in the city. The list below includes the CQC rating and a link to the CQC report for each premises.

• Shearwater in Southsea – CQC rating: Good – Shearwater CQC report (26 June 2019)
• Russets Respite Service in Hilsea (Learning Disabilities) – CQC rating: Requires improvement – Russets CQC report (15 June 2019)
• Ian Gibson Court (supported accommodation) in Southsea – CQC rating: Good – Ian Gibson Court CQC report (11 December 2019)
• Victory Reablement Unit in Hilsea – CQC rating: Good – Victory CQC report (20 June 2018)

• Independence and wellbeing – Some people think of moving to a care home because they feel lonely. There are support services and social groups to help those who feel isolated access the community.
• Shared Lives – Shared Lives supports adults with all different kinds of needs, such as people with mental health conditions, learning or physical disabilities. You can visit during the day, have overnight stays, respite, or live permanently with a household in the community, depending on your needs and wishes.
• Telecare – If your main concern is calling for help if you suffer a fall at home, a personal alarm may be useful. Read the Telecare page for information about what is available.