Care homes and home care

It is for people thinking about moving to Spain, planning a move, or already living there. By the end, you will know how to find, compare and pay for care at home or in a care home, and how to check that the care is good.

Start with "Getting home help (ayuda a domicilio) from the town hall or privately". Most families begin with care at home, and that page shows how public and private options differ. From there, the pages on private carers, day centres and care homes follow in a natural order. If dementia is part of the picture, go straight to the page on dementia and Alzheimer's care.

Key rules

• Home help hours: Public home help is set per month at 70 to 90 hours for Grade III, 40 to 55 hours for Grade II and 20 to 30 hours for Grade I, and your individual care plan decides the hours you actually get.
• Residence needed: To get dependency benefits you need legal residence in Spain for five years, two of them immediately before applying.
• No grade needed to ask: You can ask your town hall's social services for home help even without a dependency grade.
• Dependency assessment: Ask for it at the same office, in parallel with the town hall request.
• Registration: A care home must display its registration number, and you can ask your region to confirm its licence.
• Staff schedule: Staffing and medical hours vary by region and home, so always ask for the written staff schedule.

Care homes and home care: the whole process, step by step

• See a notary about legal planning after a dementia diagnosis (Dementia and Alzheimer's care in Spain: services and next steps): as soon as possible after diagnosis, while the person can still understand and decide

• Apply for a dependency assessment through your town hall's social services (Getting home help (ayuda a domicilio) from the town hall or privately): as early as you can, because the average wait from application to decision is roughly 300-400 days, and under 150 days in some regions and over 500 in others

• Arrange a respite stay in a care home if the family carer needs a break (Day centres (centros de día) and respite stays for family carers): when needed; public stays are commonly limited to around 30 to 60 days a year, depending on the region

• Apply for a public or subsidised care home place once your care plan is set (Getting a public or subsidised care home place): after the care plan is set; places in public homes can take further months or years

• Check the price list and what the monthly fee includes before you sign (What a care home costs in Spain and who pays): before signing; ask about extras such as physiotherapy, podiatry and special diets, and about any deposit, often one month's fee

• Know the notice and price-update terms in the contract (Care home contracts, residents' rights and how to complain): when you sign; you can usually leave with 15 to 30 days' notice, and the home must give written reasons and notice if it ends the contract

Documents you may need

Identity and residence

• Your ID or NIE — Getting home help (ayuda a domicilio) from the town hall or privately, Finding and vetting a private carer (cuidadora) for an older person
• A valid residence and work authorisation — Finding and vetting a private carer (cuidadora) for an older person
• ID of the person who will stay — Day centres (centros de día) and respite stays for family carers

Income and work

• Proof of your income — Getting home help (ayuda a domicilio) from the town hall or privately, Day centres (centros de día) and respite stays for family carers
• A written employment contract signed by you and the carer — Finding and vetting a private carer (cuidadora) for an older person

The home and the lease

• The care-home contract — What a care home costs in Spain and who pays, Care home contracts, residents' rights and how to complain

Payments and receipts

• Proof of payment for the care-home service — What a care home costs in Spain and who pays

Other documents

• A medical report on your health and care needs — Getting home help (ayuda a domicilio) from the town hall or privately
• The home's accreditation by your region — What a care home costs in Spain and who pays

Each article lists the other documents it asks for, where you need them.

Care homes and home care: questions that cross several articles

Where do I find the care rules, prices and waiting times for my region?

Start with your town hall's social services centre and your region's social services website, because each autonomous community sets its own procedure, co-payment and waiting lists. The centre gives information and starts the dependency application. Read Getting home help (ayuda a domicilio) from the town hall or privately and Getting a public or subsidised care home place next.

How is the co-payment for public home help worked out?

Your region sets the co-payment from your income and, in most regions, your assets, plus the cost of the service. A minimum income is usually protected and you never pay more than the full cost. See Getting home help (ayuda a domicilio) from the town hall or privately, and ask your regional social services for the current formula.

Can I get home help without a recognised dependency grade?

Yes, you can ask your town hall's social services for municipal home help, which is a basic-care service with its own co-payment. Take ID or NIE, your padrón registration, a medical report and proof of income. You can also ask for a dependency assessment at the same office; see Getting home help (ayuda a domicilio) from the town hall or privately.

Does a foreign carer need work authorisation to be hired legally?

Yes, a non-EU carer needs a residence and work authorisation, while EU/EEA and Swiss citizens do not. See Finding and vetting a private carer (cuidadora) for an older person.

What do private agencies charge per hour for home help?

Private agencies charge per hour, and the price depends on your city, the type of task and the time of day. Personal care costs more than cleaning, and Madrid, Barcelona and the Basque Country are at the higher end. Get written quotes from several agencies; see Getting home help (ayuda a domicilio) from the town hall or privately and Finding and vetting a private carer (cuidadora) for an older person.