Difference between nursing home and skilled nursing facility

When a senior experiences a fall, has a surgery, or is grappling with a chronic condition, it can be difficult to determine the best type of care for them. Two options to consider are a skilled nursing facility or long term care. These two types of senior assisted living are both ideal for those who need help with activities of daily life, but differ in their specializations and types of care they can offer. 

What is skilled nursing?

Skilled nursing is typically short-term acute care. Skilled nursing facilities are typically rehabilitative facilities designed to offer 24 hour care from licensed medical professionals including doctors, RNs, and specialized occupational, physical and speech therapists. In a skilled nursing setting, a physician oversees the care of each patient. 

People may need skilled care for a short period while recovering from an illness or surgery, or they may need this level of care long term.  Here is a list of examples of skilled care:

  • Wound and post-surgical care
  • Injected medications
  • IV therapy
  • Physical, occupation and speech therapy
  • Regular monitoring of heart rate, blood pressure, or blood sugar

Skilled nursing facilities typically serve as a transition between a hospital and a more permanent residence, whether that’s private independent living or assisted living. Because it’s intended as temporary rehabilitative care, skilled nursing is typically at least partially covered by medical insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid. Your specific plan coverage will likely vary.

What is long term care?

Long term care refers to assisted living where a senior needs the assistance of a caregiver for activities of daily living, such as eating, bathing, and taking oral medications at the correct time, in addition to ongoing access to licensed medical care. 

Long term care facilities are typically part of skilled nursing facilities, making them ideal for residents who need hands-on care and supervision around the clock, but don’t need the specialized care of skilled nursing. 

Long term care is ideal for patients who have:

  • Dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and other cognitive disorders
  • Parkinson’s disease and other neurological conditions
  • Chronic conditions limiting mobility and ability to live independently

Long term care isn’t meant to provide the same level of medical care as skilled nursing, but there will likely be access to medical practitioners should they be needed. Because long term care is more of a permanent residence than skilled nursing, it isn’t typically covered by insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid. That said, your specific plan coverages may vary. 

Choosing between skilled nursing and long term care 

When trying to determine whether skilled nursing or long term care makes more sense, you should consider the ultimate goal. Is the aim to help the patient rehabilitate after an injury or surgery and return to an independent living environment? Or does the patient require more ongoing care due to a chronic condition? 

Whether you’re looking to move yourself or a loved one into assisted living or long term care, you should consider a few key factors about where you choose to move. First and foremost, you should consider the staff’s credentials and manner. Are they friendly, respectful, and thoughtful? Do they have experience caring for others with your condition? Is there easy access to all of the therapists and specialists you might need? 

You should also consider the facility itself. Some skilled nursing and long term care facilities tend to feel clinical. For an extended stay, you should look for a place that offers luxury amenities, welcoming decor, regular housekeeping, and well-kept grounds. You should also look for opportunities for exercise, socialization, and education in order to keep the mind and body active during skilled nursing and long term care.

At Aviva, we’re proud to offer Independent Living, Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing, and Memory Care all on a single campus, with the ability to easily move from one living environment to another as care needs evolve. Each of our residences is designed to meet the unique needs of our senior residents and their conditions, with activities and gatherings for each of our buildings and the campus as a whole.

Difference between nursing home and skilled nursing facility
If you are looking into your options for post-acute (after a hospital stay) care or long-term care, the terms you hear as you do that can be confusing. Skilled nursing facility vs nursing home, for instance.

These terms are often used as if they were interchangeable, but they are not. There are significant differences between the two that are important to be aware of as you weigh your care options. Here are 3 key differences between these two types of care:

1. Skilled Nursing Facility vs Nursing Home: The Primary Focus Of Care

One of the key differences between care in a skilled nursing facility and that provided by a nursing home is the primary focus of that care.

Nursing homes are centered on providing custodial care to their residents. Custodial care is assistance with activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, grooming, meals, toileting or catheter care, managing oral medications and getting around safely, for example.

Skilled nursing care is very focused on a patient’s medical and/or rehabilitative needs, offering care that may include physical, occupational and speech therapy, rehabilitative treatment, wound care, respiratory care, medical monitoring, IV therapy, and injections, for instance, along with day-to-day custodial care.

Difference between nursing home and skilled nursing facility

2. Skilled Nursing Facility vs Nursing Home: Staffing Profiles

Most care in nursing homes can be provided by staff trained in personal care rather than medical professionals. This translates into a staff weighted more towards non-professional healthcare workers, such as licensed practical nurses, nursing assistants and personal care aides, for example, and less towards medical professionals, like physicians, therapists and registered nurses.

The higher level of care that is offered by a skilled nursing facility requires that these facilities are consistently staffed by medical professionals. For that reason, you can expect much greater access to on-staff professionals in a skilled nursing facility as compared to a nursing home, such as physicians, rehabilitative professionals and other specialists, licensed physical and occupational therapists, speech/language pathologists and registered nurses, among others.

3. Skilled Nursing Facility vs Nursing Home: Medicare Coverage

Many people who are in need of post-acute or long-term care options are seniors or people with disabilities who are Medicare recipients. For these people, the distinct differences in coverage when it comes to care in a skilled nursing facility vs nursing home care are very important details to look into.

Medicare will provide coverage for skilled nursing care for up to 100 days – so long as it is medically necessary and your skilled nursing stay comes after a hospital stay of at least 3 days. The first 20 days are typically covered in full, with a co-pay required from day 21 on. Nursing home, or custodial care, on the other hand, is not covered by Medicare, although they may be covered by private insurance, long-term care insurance and/or the Medicaid program.

Difference between nursing home and skilled nursing facility

Difference between nursing home and skilled nursing facility

Topics: Skilled Nursing

What is the difference between a long term care facility and a skilled nursing facility?

As discussed earlier, Skilled Nursing Facilities provide more complex medical care and rehabilitation while Long Term Care Facilities offer more permanent support for day-to-day needs. In some instances, both types of institutions are combined to provide the most comprehensive level of care.

Why is it called a skilled nursing facility?

Skilled nursing care is provided by trained registered nurses in a medical setting under a doctor's supervision. It's basically the same level of nursing care you get in the hospital. Patients may go from the hospital to a skilled nursing facility to continue recovering after an illness, injury or surgery.

What is an example of a skilled nursing facility?

Skilled nursing care refers to a patient's need for care or treatment that can only be performed by licensed nurses. This type of care is usually offered in hospitals, assisted living communities, Life Plan Communities, nursing homes and other certified locations.

What is the difference between assisted living and skilled nursing care?

Assisted living communities encourage independence and provide less medical care; whereas, skilled nursing communities are more restrictive but provide more medically intensive care. At the end of the day, the care needs of the senior will determine which type of community is most appropriate for their given situation.