Skilled Nursing Care

When a person requires constant medical care such as a ventilator, respiratory therapy, third stage ulcers called bed sores and IV-line medication they would be candidates for skilled nursing care. Another way to look at skilled nursing care is to compare it to a hospital setting. Insurance companies will only cover hospital stays for certain time periods or specific medical challenges. A nursing home is sometimes a temporary station for rehabilitation before returning home from the hospital or if the medical and physical demands are permanent then the residency in the nursing facility will be permanent as well. Someone with a feeding tube would be a candidate for a nursing home since this type of person is not capable of taking care of himself. A person who can eat on his own but either won’t or needs his food blended and fed to him, would require skilled nursing care around the clock.

How Much Does Skilled Nursing Care Cost?

Skilled nursing care is more costly than assisted living. A patient’s cost per month is about $7,441 in the United States with costs varying depending on the facility. For Medicaid to agree to pay for skilled nursing care, the resident must first use their own money before the coverage kicks in or be sure to work together with a Medicaid planner to protect personal assets.

Assisted Living

This type of living is the middle child in the trio of independent, assisted, and skilled nursing care. That does not mean that this is the option that is right just because it is the middle of the road. Assisted living is geared to a specific segment of the senior population. For a senior who is insistent on maintaining their independence or someone who is finding a secluded home too much to handle this solution will work optimally as long as the person is fairly mobile and lucid. Assisted living communities provide much needed social events and interactions between residents while the residents still live independently in their own homes. Their amenities include, kitchen facilities, such as electric burners, refrigerators, ovens, and any other appliances that they can utilize to do their own food preparation and cooking. Safety features are offered in the bathrooms so that the resident can bathe and shower independently. (Some assisted living facilities offer optional caregivers who can assist the resident when he or she showers or bathes.) This type of living is primarily paid for out-of-pocket, but there are certain types of financial assistance for veterans, people with specific disabilities and Alzheimer’s.

Memory Care

Just because a senior is having some memory care issues does not negate their entrance into an assisted living facility. These days many assisted living communities will offer memory care in a separate wing or building in the same residence. The same way that a regular assisted living facility will offer recreational activities and trips to town, the memory care facility will do this with additional safeguards such as secured yards, door alarms and specially trained staff members. This type of facility is, of course more costly, about 20% to 30% per month. If a prospective resident is physically active but mentally limited this might be the perfect solution. Check into Medicaid options specifically for Alzheimer’s patients.