It is the aim of the Flemish authorities to make sure that older people can live at home independently for as long as possible. However, there comes a time when this is no longer an option. In this case, the elderly person can turn to a residential elderly care facility. This is a facility where an elderly person can stay as a resident on either a temporary or a permanent basis. In other words, this facility becomes the new home of this elderly person.
The Flemish authorities want to establish a residential and care provision for these people which is tailored to their individual needs. To this end the Flemish Agency for Care and Health programmes and recognises several types of elderly care facilities:
Together with the home care facilities, these facilities provide a whole range of care services at someone's place of residence (either at home or in a facility). Hence we refer to them with the common denominator of “residential care”.
The addresses of these facilities are only available on our Dutch-language pages.
Residential care centres
A residential care centre offers permanent care and nursing to elderly people. A resident of a residential care centre has his or her own room or living space there. In addition the residential care centre has common rooms where residents can meet and jointly participate in activities. Anyone who is aged 65 or more can stay at a residential care centre. It is primarily intended for those people who cannot possibly live at home anymore.
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Rest and nursing homes
Some residential care centres have so-called “rest and nursing beds”. These are meant for elderly people who are heavily dependent on care and receive intensive nursing there.
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Service Flats
In a service flat building an elderly person can rent a flat where he or she can live independently. Such a flat has at least a living area, kitchen, bedroom, toilet and bathroom. The flat has been adapted and is safe. The resident can also call on common services there, such as cleaning help, hot meals or home nursing. A service flat combines independent living with (permanent) support and customised care.
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Day care centres
A day care centre provides care and nursing to elderly people (aged 65 or more) during the day. The centre thus temporarily takes over the care and nursing duties of people who normally care for an elderly person at home (informal carers or home nurses). The elderly person can go to the day care centre for one or more days per week. The personnel at the centre helps them to wash themselves and with their personal hygiene and provides nursing. The centre organises activation, rehabilitation and relaxation activities.
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Short stay centres
A short stay centre provides temporary nursing and care to elderly people (aged 65 and more). The elderly person stays there either night and day or just during the night. The elderly person can reside there for a maximum period of 60 consecutive days and a maximum of 90 days per year. The services provided there are to a large extent similar to those at the residential care centre or recovery centres: nursing (such as a nurse and hygienic care), family and household help, rehabilitation, activation, relaxation activities and social contacts with the other residents of the short-stay centre or residential care centre.
The short stay centre is an intermediate solution between continuing to live at home with home nursing and a permanent stay at an assisted living residence or residential care centre.
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Recovery centres
People who recover from an operation at a hospital or from a serious condition or accident can stay at a recovery centre where they receive nursing, care and rehabilitation. They can stay there for up to 60 days until they have sufficiently recovered to return home.
A recovery centre has a number of single and double rooms. Doctors and nurses are in charge of their physical care whereas social assistants and psychologists take care of their mental health.
The centre provides nursing, rehabilitation and assistance in the daily activities.
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