Nursing Homes: What are They?

Nursing homes are fully-staffed facilities which provide 24-hour care to residents. Although the general view is that they are designed for seniors, a person does not need to be a senior citizen in order to be cared for in a nursing home. There are two types of care provided in the facility: Short term and long term care.

Short term care: This is for those who have been in a hospital setting for a debilitating illness or surgical procedure. A patient is not ready to be discharged to home, but do not need the intensive level of care provided by an acute care hospital. The patient may need rehabilitative services, like physical, occupational or speech therapy.

The patient may still be dealing with a feeding tube or tracheotomy. Perhaps they need two people to help transfer them from the bed to a chair or commode. It is expected that they will recover and be able to eventually go to a different setting. If not, they may be transferred to the long term section of the facility or another one like it.

Long term care: This is for residents who need ongoing medical intervention, like round-the-clock assessment of pain, 24-hour monitoring of respiratory conditions, assistance turning frequently in bed to prevent bed sores, and other care that requires nursing services. Many facilities have important medical equipment for lifting and transferring residents. They have a nurse on staff 24/7.

If you are convinced that a Nursing Home is the proper facility for your loved one, there are some factors to consider when searching for just the right place.