They have access to many services, including up to three meals a day; personal care assistance; help with medications, cleaning and laundry; 24-hour supervision, security and on-site staff; and social and recreational activities. Medicare Made Clear, offered by UnitedHealthcare, provides Medicare education so you can make informed decisions about your health and Medicare coverage. Many people need skilled nursing stays after incidents such as strokes or heart attacks to receive rehabilitative care, providing a safety net based on constant supervision. In addition to custodial care, nursing home residents can get help taking medications or controlling chronic diseases.
If the elderly person has long-term care insurance, check their plan to see if it includes coverage for this type of facility. If you feel that your loved one is too weak or unstable to care for themselves properly and there are no family members who can care for them, home health care services may not be the best option. To obtain CMS certification, skilled nursing communities must meet strict criteria and be subject to regular inspections to ensure that quality standards are met. Sometimes people move to a nursing home when they can't care for themselves because of medical, cognitive, behavioral, or functional problems. Patients can go from the hospital to a skilled nursing facility to continue to recover after an illness, injury, or surgery.
Nursing homes provide skilled nursing care to patients who cannot live at home without supervision 24 hours a day, but who also do not need to be hospitalized. As you evaluate all possible care options, here are some helpful tips to get started and important questions to ask yourself before making a decision. Medicare, Medicaid, and long-term care insurance may cover some services, depending on the level of care provided. If your loved one is suffering from a debilitating medical problem and requires ongoing care and subsequent treatment, your doctor may request inpatient services for your acute medical condition. Improve your Medicare knowledge with reliable, up-to-date news and information sent to your inbox every month.
People often use the words “skilled nursing”, “assisted living” and “nursing home” interchangeably, but they are actually different terms. This type of care is usually offered in hospitals, assisted living communities, life plan communities, nursing homes, and other certified locations.
