When your loved one needs more support than you can provide at home, it helps to know your care options. Your loved ones may be preparing for surgery and will need rehabilitation afterward. Or they're ready to transition from the hospital to a community that can provide specialized medical care and therapy. If you're exploring skilled nursing care, you're taking an important step toward finding the right care for your loved one.

But what exactly is skilled nursing care, and how is it different from other senior living options?

Skilled nursing care communities are licensed healthcare communities that are regulated by state agencies. They offer short-term rehabilitation and long-term care for people with complex medical needs—from surgery recovery to memory care.

These communities provide more medical care than what's available at home or in an assisted living facility. With so many terms in senior living, such as skilled nursing, assisted living, and transitional care, it can get confusing.

Here are the differences:

Meeting the Highest Standards of Care

Skilled nursing communities are licensed and regulated by state agencies to provide the highest level of medical care outside a hospital. 

The Department of Health makes sure these communities partner with local hospitals for smooth care transitions when residents need specialized services. 

Professional team members, including registered nurses, manage and support each resident's care journey. Medicare certification confirms that communities have the right team members and equipment to deliver quality care. Medicare helps cover skilled nursing care for up to 100 days per benefit period, where the first 20 days are covered at 100%, and days 21-100 have a daily copay.  A benefit period begins when you're admitted to a hospital and ends when you haven't received hospital or skilled nursing care for 60 days in a row.

Your Care Team, Day and Night

When your loved one needs help throughout the day, skilled nursing communities provide compassionate support around the clock.

That includes:

• Medical directors who oversee care plans
• Registered nurses 
• Licensed vocational nurses delivering specialized care
• Physical and occupational therapists helping rebuild strength and independence
• Speech-language pathologists supporting communication
• Certified nurse aides offering personal care with dignity

Understanding Different Levels of Care

Not all senior living communities provide the same level of medical support. Understanding these differences helps you find the right fit for your loved one's needs.

Skilled nursing communities provide the most comprehensive medical care, with 24-hour on-site staffing and specialized therapies. These Medicare and Medicaid certified communities must meet strict federal requirements and undergo regular state surveys.

In contrast, assisted living communities focus on helping residents maintain independence while providing support with daily activities. 

Assisted Care Communities

Assisted living provides a more residential, apartment-like setting for seniors who need help with daily activities but do not require full-time medical care.

 These communities provide support services like meals, medication management, bathing, dressing and transportation. It is mostly for aging adults with disabilities or people who cannot, or choose not, to live independently.

Assisted care is recommended for a resident who does not require much medical care but does need more help than can be provided in their home.

Skilled Nursing Communities

Skilled nursing communities provide everything your loved one needs for comfortable, dignified care. Medicare covers many of the services, such as:

• A comfortable semi-private room (a room you share with another resident)
• Meals tailored to dietary needs
• Physical and occupational therapy
• Speech-language pathology services
• Medical social services for emotional support
• All necessary medications
• Medical supplies and equipment used in the community
• Safe transportation when specialized care is needed elsewhere

Communities also offer respite care, a short-term stay, that gives family caregivers a needed break while their loved one receives professional medical and personal care in a supportive environment.

When considering care options, be sure to ask about regulations and certifications and who governs them in your state.

Making the Transition

When your loved one needs skilled nursing care, the transition may feel overwhelming. Communities managed by The Goodman Group understand this transition and work closely with families to make sure residents receive the specialized care they need while maintaining their dignity and quality of life.

Whether your loved one needs short-term rehabilitation or long-term skilled nursing care, our team members are here to help guide you through the process and answer your questions.