Nursing homes, also called skilled nursing facilities, provide 24-hour nursing and personal care for seniors. Nursing homes offer the highest level of care for seniors who need long-term or short-term medical care but don’t need hospitalization. Elderly adults who need long-term care at a nursing home often have severe physical or cognitive health conditions that require 24-hour nursing care. They may be incontinent, unable to eat independently, or unable to transfer from bed to a wheelchair without the assistance of a staff member.
Nursing homes play a crucial role in post-hospitalization care. They offer short-term rehabilitation for seniors recovering from illnesses, accidents or surgery. Rehab care focuses on restoring mobility, strength, and function so seniors can get back to their normal activities.
Nursing homes provide a distinctly higher level of medical care than other types of senior living, such as independent living, assisted living, and memory care. Nursing homes can also be called “care homes,” “skilled rehab facilities,” or “long-term care facilities.”
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Skilled Nursing Facilities vs. Nursing Homes: Is There a Difference?
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Elderly nursing home residents often have significant physical or mental health conditions that require long-term, 24-hour nursing and personal care. Seniors who can no longer lift themselves out of bed or who require daily skilled nursing are often ineligible for assisted living or memory care and may need nursing home care.
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Average Age of Nursing Home Residents: Age by Percentage and Demographic
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Nursing Home Statistics
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Many seniors are a better fit for assisted living or memory care. Consider these options before deciding on a nursing home.
Care Options
Assisted Living vs. Nursing Homes: What’s the Difference?
Finding a nursing home for your loved one may feel overwhelming. You may have many different facilities to choose from, so how do you know which one is right? Start with your family member’s prioritized needs and consider the facility’s medical services and ratings.
Ultimately, there’s no substitute for visiting and experiencing a typical day at the nursing home. As you tour different facilities, be sure to ask whether the nursing home you’re visiting is Medicare or Medicaid certified and licensed if you plan on using your benefits to help cover your care costs there. You can also check the facility’s rating on the Medicare website.
Use these resources to discover what to look for when searching for a nursing home and how to find the best nursing homes near you.
Choosing Care
Medicare Nursing Home Ratings: A Brief Guide
Nursing homes are more expensive than assisted living or memory care because they require medically trained staff and more supervision. Nursing homes may cost twice as much as assisted living or memory care facilities in your area.
Paying for a nursing home is not always straightforward, and families can use multiple sources to cover nursing home costs. Often, some nursing home care can be covered with Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, or veterans benefits. Short-term stays in skilled nursing facilities for rehabilitation may be covered by Medicare, while indefinite stays in a nursing home will require some out-of-pocket payment for rent and meals. Learning how to pay for nursing home care now can help you plan for your future needs.
How Much Do Nursing Homes Cost? A State-by-State Guide
The cost of nursing homes varies from state to state and depends on a number of factors, such as room type and luxury ameniti...
How to Pay For a Nursing Home: Know Your Options
A nursing home may be a good fit for seniors who need a high level of medical care. Learn ways to pay for nursing home care.
How to Use Social Security to Pay for a Nursing Home Stay
Learn how Social Security benefits, including retirement, SSDI, and SSI can be used to pay nursing home expenses.
Are Nursing Home Expenses Tax Deductible?
Learn what nursing home costs qualify for tax deductions and how to maximize your savings this tax season.
Does Medicare Cover Nursing Homes?
Does Medicare cover nursing home expenses? Depending on your loved one's care needs and the length of their stay, some or all...
Paying for Hospice in a Nursing Home: Your Options, Explained
Learn about the many pay options available for covering some or all of the costs of hospice care in a nursing home, and get t...
CARE OPTIONS
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PAYMENT
How to Use Social Security to Pay for a Nursing Home Stay
PAYMENT
Are Nursing Home Expenses Tax Deductible?
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PAYMENT
Medicaid and Nursing Homes: Coverage, Eligibility Requirements, and How to Apply
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A Guide to VA Nursing Homes: Types, Eligibility Requirements, and Costs
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Nursing homes provide short-and long-term care for seniors who have physical or mental health conditions that require 24-hour nursing and personal care.
The score shown is the overall experience rating which is an average of the reviews submitted for those communities. The overall experience rating is a star rating that ranges from 1 being the lowest to 5 being the highest.
Below are the 51 largest cities grouped by their metropolitan area.
Top states for Nursing Homes
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