Residential Care Law and Legal Definition
Residential care or care of residents refers to care given to adults and children who have significant physical disabilities, learning disabilities, mental ill health, alcohol or drug dependency, or who are at risk of injury or abuse. It is given when care given by voluntary home care givers with the support of home care agencies breaks down.
Residential care can be given for a short time (known as respite care), for longer periods or permanently. It is given outside a patient’s house and stay is offered in a comfortable furnished room with staff available 24 hours a day. In some places, people can even bring their own furniture for stay under residential care. Accommodation, meals, and personal care including assistance in getting up or going to bed, eating, washing, dressing, and using toilet are given under residential care. Depending upon individual needs, various types of residential care is offered by residential care agencies.
