Assisted Living vs Nursing Homes: What's the difference?
Two of the best types of residential senior care are assisted living communities and nursing homes. Unfortunately there can be a lot of confusion as to what the difference between the two is. One of the best ways to differentiate the two is to classify assisted living communities as more home-like and nursing homes as more medical-like. Assisted living communities allow residents to get help if needed while remaining fairly independent. Nursing homes, also called skilled nursing facilities, provide 24-7 care for residents requiring medical support. Some more differences between the two include how they are licensed and how they get paid for the care they provide.
Seventy percent of people over the age of 65 will develop some kind of disability before they die. Of that seventy percent, 35% will be placed into the care of a nursing home. Skilled nursing care may be required on a short-term or long-term basis. Short-term is needed to help residents recover from an illness or surgery. Long-term is needed for people suffering with chronic medical conditions, severe pain, or permanent disabilities. Skilled nursing facilities are generally highly regulated, licensed, and inspected. Assisted living facilities usually provide housekeeping, caregiving, shared meals, activities, transportation, and medication management. Residents most often pay with private funds or long-term care insurance. Some states offer waiver programs to help pay assisted living cost for Medicaid recipients who qualify. Nursing home care can be paid for privately with long-term care insurance such as Medicare and Medicaid.
Assisted living doesn’t provide the same type of medical support as a skilled nursing facility. They are usually less expensive than paying for a nursing home out of pocket and they are less institutional in feel and appearance. Rules and regulations governing assisted living facilities vary by state in terms of health conditions that are allowed. Regulations for assisted living are generally loose as long as there are enough staff to meet the needs of the residents. This can include bringing in other agencies such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech or skilled nursing as well as hospice to their needs. Although assisted living generally cost less than skilled nursing, with additional level-of-care charges, they end up costing about the same.