What is an EMI Unit in a Care Home?
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On your care home journey, you’re likely to come across many different terms and phrases that you may not be familiar with. One of these terms is EMI.
So, what does EMI care mean, and what is an EMI unit? Read on to find out all you need to know.
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In this article:
- What does EMI mean?
- What is EMI care?
- What is an EMI unit?
- Specialist dementia care
- The difference between EMD and EMI care
- The difference between EMI care and nursing care
- EMI care costs
- Search our EMI care homes
What Does EMI Mean?
EMI stands for Elderly Mentally Infirm. This refers to care home residents with advanced Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. These residents require 24/7 care and support as a result of long-term dementia-related symptoms, including wandering, confusion, hallucinations and unpredictable behaviour.
The term ‘EMI’ is a little outdated. Nowadays, the more commonly used phrases are “dementia unit” or “registered for dementia”.
What is EMI care?
EMI care takes place within a dementia care home or nursing home. EMI nursing homes look after people who are living in a late stage of dementia. EMI care offers specialist dementia support, to ensure anyone living with dementia is as comfortable as possible.
What is an EMI unit?
An EMI unit is a separate dementia unit attached to a nursing care home. EMI units are specifically for those with more advanced dementia. Specialist and highly-trained care staff provide round-the-clock supervision to residents.
Staff are specially trained to cope with the behavioural difficulties that someone with advanced dementia may struggle with and can help to calm them if they become distressed or upset.
EMI units are especially secure, to keep residents safe and prevent them from wandering off if they become disoriented.
Residents in EMI units may have additional health conditions that require treatment, as well as dementia and other cognitive disorders.
If you are visiting a care home with an EMI unit, you should be able to take a look around it during your visit. Some residential and nursing care homes have EMI beds available, too.
There are currently around 900,000 in the UK with dementia and this number is expected to rapidly rise over the coming years. There are projected to be over 1 million people with dementia in the UK by 2025, and nearly 1.6 million by 2040. EMI units in care homes are here to support anyone living with dementia.
What do EMI units offer?
Many EMI units aim to provide activities that stimulate the senses, along with dedicated areas to promote a more harmonious environment for those living with memory conditions.
Residents are encouraged to take part in activities like music therapy, arts and crafts or visits by animal companies to further enhance feelings of wellbeing.
Care homes with EMI units often create bespoke care plans that address your loved one’s individual needs. These plans give families the peace of mind that their loved one is receiving the appropriate care and plenty of compassion. Carers who tap into what every resident likes or dislikes, and knows how to tailor support are crucial in maintaining emotional wellbeing over the long term.
We’re here to help you find the right dementia care home for you or your loved one. You can request a free list of dementia care homes from our care experts, who will then share homes matching your budget and location. You can also search for a dementia care home through our easy-to-use directory.
Specialist Dementia Care
Care homes that have facilities or units specifically for those with dementia may offer different dementia-friendly facilities and services, including:
| Facility or Service | What This Is and How It Helps |
|---|---|
| Reminiscence Rooms | Rooms containing familiar objects to help engage residents’ senses and memories. |
| Specialist Equipment (such as Dementia Tables) | Residents can use this equipment to play games that stimulate their brains. They’ll also allow for enjoyable social interactions with fellow residents. |
| Sensory Gardens | Sensory gardens stimulate the senses through things like fragrant plants and herbs, brightly coloured flowers and activities such as digging or cutting grass. |
| Activities Focused Around Memory | Ideas include looking through old photos, dressing up in old clothes or creating special memory boxes for residents’ rooms. |
| Structured Daily Routines | A daily routine will help residents feel safe and comfortable in a homely environment. |
| Smaller Communal Areas | These allow residents with dementia to enjoy a quieter atmosphere. |
Units like this bring peace and calm to residents with dementia, helping to reduce stress and anxiety.
The Difference Between EMD and EMI Care
You may also have heard the term EMD used in reference to care homes. EMD stands for Elderly Mental Dementia.
There isn’t much difference between the two terms, but EMI can refer to individuals in specialist dementia care homes or units for people with significant needs that require experienced professionals to provide personalised care. Whereas, EMD can mean dementia-friendly residential care homes (or people living at home with dementia).
If you’re looking for an EMI residential or nursing care home for yourself or a relative, you will need to check that the home can provide the type of care specific to you or your relative’s individual needs.
The types of care on offer for people with EMI or those with EMD can be fairly similar, such as intensive support and round-the-clock care. Care can also differ though, as those with dementia often require carers who understand what tailored support is needed at each stage of the condition.
Remember that if you need dementia care, you don’t necessarily require a home with an EMI care unit. Everyone is different and care needs must be assessed as such.
The Difference Between EMI Care and Nursing Care
People who require EMI care are usually living with an advanced form of dementia. Whether somebody requires EMI care within a residential care home or nursing care home depends on their individual requirements.
Nursing homes employ qualified medical professionals such as nurses who can support residents by administering medication and looking after advanced healthcare needs. If this applies to your loved one with dementia, they’d likely be best supported within an EMI nursing home.
People who don’t require special medical care may instead live in an EMI residential home.
So to summarise, EMI care is often provided within a nursing home, alongside specialist nursing care.
EMI Care Costs
In the UK, annual dementia care fees can cost anywhere between £30,000 and £80,000 a year. The cost of dementia to the UK is currently £34.7 billion a year, which works out as an average annual cost of £32,250 per person with dementia. Right now, two-thirds of this care home cost is being paid by people with dementia and their families.
Who pays for EMI care?
EMI care is a form of dementia care. In the majority of cases, the person with dementia will need to pay for their own care and support.
In England, if your loved one has assets and savings above £23,250, they’ll like have to pay the full cost of care themselves. If their assets and savings are worth between £14,250 and £23,250, they’ll be eligible for partial support. If their assets and savings are worth less than £14,250, they’ll be eligible for full support.
If your loved one with dementia is classed as having complex care needs, they might also be eligible for NHS continuing healthcare (this covers the full cost of care). If they don’t qualify for this but have been assessed as needing care in a nursing home (such as through a care needs assessment), they could instead be eligible for NHS-funded nursing care (this entitles you or your loved one to a set amount of financial assistance per week).
Search Our EMI Care Homes
Some of our dementia care homes offer Elderly Mentally Infirm (EMI) and are committed to providing expert, 24-hour supervision and care in a safe environment. You can use our care finder tool and directory to search for dementia care homes today.
Here are some of our dementia care homes with EMI Units:
Care homes in Worcester such as The Belmont Care Home.
Care homes in Waterlooville such as Wellington Vale Care Home.
Care homes in Poole such as Upton Bay Care Home.
Care homes in Whitstable such as Harrier Lodge Care Home.
Care homes in Croydon such as Haling Park Care Home.
Care homes in Maidstone such as Invicta Court Care Home.
Care homes in Royal Leamington Spa such as Priors House Care Home.
Care homes in Enfield such as Elsyng House Care Home.
There are also memory clinics which assess potential memory loss and provide treatment options.
Lottie matches care seekers with the best dementia care homes for their needs. You can also request a free care home shortlist from our care experts, who will share homes matching your budget and location.
