The twilight announcement was made on Friday evening by the Western Health and Social Care Trust.
Residents of Foyleville Home Londonderry, Gortmore Home Omagh, Greenfield Home Strabane, and Drumhaw Home, Lisnaskea, will be able to stay where they are.
Western Trust chairman Gerard Guckian said the Board had taken account of the strength and depth of feeling expressed during consultation.
"The trust Board has recommended that these homes should continue to offer residential care to existing residents for as long as it meets their care needs. If a residents needs change to the point where they require nursing home care, alternative provision will be made," he said.
He said there will be no further permanent admissions to Foyleville nor Drumhaw, taking into consideration reducing level of demand for residential care, and alternative accommodation options in these localities.
Permanent admissions will be allowed at Greenfield Home. Day care in Omagh and Strabane homes will be merged with no service reduction, and no service reduction in Fermanagh.
Arlene Foster MLA, said there are still questions which need to be answered.
"What happens where there are only one or two people left in any of these homes. In Foyleville there are about eight residents in their 90's so that is slightly different from Drumhaw, where there are more residents who are young at heart. While it takes the pressure off, there are still questions which need to be answered. Initially I thought this is great, but what happens, when 23 whittle down to two or three people," she said.
Tom Elliott, UUP MLA said: "This news will come as a great relief to many residents of Drumhaw, their families and those from the County who use the day care provision in many centres in Fermanagh.
"I have lobbied strongly on these issues and sent a response on both matters to recent consultations. Many people put a lot of effort into this matter and I hope they will feel their efforts have been rewarded.
"Praise must go to the Western Health & Social Care Trust for making an informed and what is hopefully a popular decision."
Fermanagh and South Tyrone SDLP MLA Tommy Gallagher said the people of Fermanagh will be greatly relieved that the Western Trust will keep four residential care homes open for existing patients.
He said: "The recommendation from a meeting of the Trust Board was crucial for all the families with relatives in these four homes. More than 4,000 signatures were collected in a petition to keep, Drumhaw Residential Care Home open. The Trust has recommended to the Minister for Health that the homes should be kept open for existing patients for as long as they are in a position to provide appropriate care to meet the patients' needs. That is in the nature of a temporary reprieve, but the position of the existing patients was always at the top of the agenda for the people of the area. We now have a breathing space to consider the long-term demand for residential care in the area and I hope that the Minister will provide a full plan in the near future."
The announced has also been welcomes by Castlederg Ulster Unionist Councillor, Derek Hussey.
He said: "One worrying aspect of the announced 're-think' is that I have been told by one service providers that they have yet to receive 'detail' as to how their particular service is to be taken forward and as we all know 'the devil is quite often in the detail'.
"I believe that it is important that such detail be made available as early as possible and am asking the Trust that this should be so and will also urge, through Strabane District Council, that we receive complete information in regard to the Trust's new recommendations.
"All who engaged in this consultation, residents, staff, elected representatives, newspapers, the local community, are to be congratulated on encouraging this necessary 're-think' by the Trust," he said.
Mr Hussey said:"The announcement has been particuarly welcome in the Strabane District area with Greenfield Residential Home being allowed to continue offering permanent admissions and Derg Valley Care not being forced to withdraw part of their very valuable Day Care provision at present.
"It has always been important that our society cares for our elderly community. Given changing demographics, whereby this part of community is growing, a greater need for residential and day care within the community, close to family and friends is evolving and it is the duty of our Health Trust to address and meet these requirements," he said.
West Tyrone Sinn Fein MLA Claire McGill heralded the U-turn by the Western Trust's to keep Greenfield Residential Care Home open as a victory for people power.
She said: "The case for Greenfield was overwhelming and as the campaign gathered pace it became increasingly clear that the proposal to close the Residential Care Home was fundamentally flawed on so many levels, not least because there was absolutely no alternative provision planned for the residents in the Trust's proposals.