Managing the Care Home Closure Process: Care Managers’ Experiences and Views

This paper reports case study research that set out to identify what care managers do during independent care home closures. Little research has focused on the way in which care homes for older people are closed in England, or what those involved think about the process. This paper reports the activ...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The British journal of social work 2007-07, Vol.37 (5), p.909-924
Main Authors: Williams, Jacquetta, Netten, Ann, Ware, Patricia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Business closings
Business management
care homes
care management
Communities
Funding
Home care services
home closure
Homes
Managers
Nursing homes
Older adults
Older people
Process management
Recommendations
Relocation
Social services
Social work
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Summary:This paper reports case study research that set out to identify what care managers do during independent care home closures. Little research has focused on the way in which care homes for older people are closed in England, or what those involved think about the process. This paper reports the activities and views of care managers directly involved in helping older people relocate from care homes that were closed by their owners. During such closures, residents and their families have no choice but to move, usually to a deadline, and with little control over the process. Care managers have a responsibility to help arrange alternative care for those current residents who are publicly funded, and to offer information and support to those funding their own care (the ‘self-funded’). Closure related activities could involve considerable staff time. Care management arrangements, including the organization of teams and provision of needs assessments, varied across authorities. The care managers described drawing on emotional counselling and inter-personal skills, as well as practitioner knowledge and experience, particularly when offering support and advice about finding appropriate new homes. Tensions between aims, constraints on their actions and views of good practice are identified.
ISSN:0045-3102
1468-263X
DOI:10.1093/bjsw/bcl034