Skilled Nursing vs. Long Term Care

People often used the term “nursing home” synonymously with “skilled nursing”. It is very easy to use the terms interchangeably. But while both terms entail nursing to some extent, there are some very important differences to considers, especially if you or a family member is in need of either a nursing home or skilled nursing services.

People go to nursing homes when they require high level assistance with every day living such as eating and bathing. On the other hand, some people require skilled nursing when they require medical care during recovery from a medical emergency such as a stroke. So one of the first differences to consider is time spent in different types of facilities. Nursing homes are facilities made for long term care. The residents have reached a point in their lives where it is not safe for them to live independently if they are a fall risk or suffer from memory loss. This is why residing in a nursing home long term benefits them, because personnel will assist them with every day living. They will provide meals, do laundry, clean the rooms, dispense medications and lead activities. In nursing home care, residents can receive medical care offsite with either provided transportation or help from a family member. Depending on the facility, there may be a doctor on staff, but you can typically expect an RN in charge of the nurses’ aides 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For recovery from a medical emergency, people would go to a skilled nursing facility (SNF) to receive medical care after an emergency stay in the hospital to receive physical therapy and rehabilitation. Going to an SNF would also be a better fit to help with medical issues such as:

-stroke recovery

-wound care

-rehab after an illness or operation

-terminal illness

-serious memory issues

-around the clock care

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A short term period for staying in an SNF if up to 20 days. Staying within this time period is either largely or entirely paid for by Medicare if you meet certain requirements. For example, you must have Medicare Part A. If not, you must have a qualifying hospital stay in order to receive full coverage for a stay in an SNF. If an SNF is not an option, it is possible to receive skilled nursing care in home. This could include a registered nurse visiting daily to change catheters, change bandages, do blood draws, monitor health, perform wound care and giving physical, occupational or speech therapy to the patient. These services will often vary depending on the location and the agency. But assistance with daily living tasks in home such as cooking, bathing and cleaning would be provided from a caregiver or nurse’s aide, separate from skilled nursing services.

If you have questions or are confused about which company is best for you, book a meeting with an agent.The goal is to lower your potential cost as low as possible while still receiving great medical care when you need it.

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