What’s the difference between assisted living facilities and nursing homes?
Perhaps you’ve started exploring senior living options or gone online to search for “assisted living near me.” That’s a good start. But it’s important to know what to look for, understand the terminology you’ll encounter, and make an informed decision for yourself or a loved one.
The good news is, the world of senior living offers a range of options to address each person’s needs. The challenge is to find the right environment to address your particular situation. This article will help you understand the benefits of assisted living and how to compare assisted living facilities vs. nursing homes, often referred to as skilled nursing.
Let’s start with assisted living.
Assisted living is not so different from an independent living setting. Apartments are private, well-appointed and comfortable, and spacious enough for one or two people. Because assisted living residents typically enjoy meals in the community dining room, the residence kitchen is often reduced to a sink, fridge and microwave — good for snacks or simple treats.
So who needs assisted living?
You may feel like the same independent-minded adult you’ve always been. But as we age, it’s common to experience unexpected challenges. An assisted living community provides all the help a resident needs with the activities of daily living, often called ADLs, as well as help with many everyday tasks and chores.
ADLs include:
- Bathing
- Grooming
- Dressing
- Toileting
- Getting in and out of bed
- Walking around the home
- Feeding oneself
Domestic tasks include:
- Housekeeping
- Grocery shopping
- Laundry
- Meal preparation
- Money management
- Medication management
A reputable assisted living community will customize their menu of services, providing as much or as little assistance as each resident needs, and offering a program of assisted living activities that residents find achievable and rewarding. And because it’s a community setting, residents are able to socialize and forge true friendships, avoiding the common risk of age-related isolation.
Therein lies the primary benefit of assisted living: to have the challenges and ADLs easily met, so you can maintain more independence and enjoy life to its full potential.
The best assisted living communities are staffed by certified health care professionals, with at least one registered nurse on-site at all times.
The benefits of a nursing home, aka skilled nursing
A nursing home, also known as a skilled nursing community, can play an important role on either a short-term or long-term basis.
Short-term skilled nursing
This setting offers a full-service living arrangement for older adults who have endured illness, injury, or surgery or other health crisis. To help residents recover the highest possible level of independence, rehabilitation therapies include:
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Speech therapy
You can ask your physician to refer you to the rehabilitation provider of your choice.
Long-term skilled nursing
Those who need long-term skilled nursing attention typically retain little to no independence, although each person is different in this regard. Certified staff members provide assistance with all activities of daily living (ADLs), round-the-clock attention and medical therapies. The best skilled nursing providers administer their care with compassion and transparent kindness, preserving — even enhancing — the dignity of residents.
How to evaluate a nursing home
To help you make the right decision for your loved one, nursing homes, or skilled nursing communities, are subject to review and ratings by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS.gov), a government agency that rates providers on a 1- to 5-Star scale. A 5-Star CMS rating is the highest attainable and indicates excellence in every ratings category.
Once you’ve narrowed your options, schedule a visit and request a tour. A reputable nursing home will be happy to show you around. Things to look for and questions to answer:
- Are floors, common spaces and residences clean?
- Is the staff attentive and kind?
- Is there a registered nurse on-site?
- Are there appropriate activities taking place throughout the day?
- Is the food good?
If you search online for nursing homes or assisted living near me, you may discover The Glebe, a nonprofit retirement community in Daleville, Virginia, that offers independent living and a full continuum of senior care, including assisted living and skilled nursing.
If you have any questions about assisted living vs. nursing homes, or if you’d like to discuss how we can serve your family, please contact us here.