The Crown Jewel of Senior Care Communities
Nursing Care Communities, commonly referred to as nursing homes or skilled nursing and rehab centers, represent a senior living residence for individuals in need of long-term care or skilled nursing and rehabilitation services. Most residents have high care needs and complex medical conditions and so Nursing Care Communities can be regarded as providing the highest level of care for seniors.
Facilities are sometimes operated within a hospital or a Continuing Care Retirement Community, but are generally stand alone facilities. In the US, there are currently more than 16,000 nursing homes.
What services are provided within a Nursing Care Community?
Besides offering all services that are available in Assisted Living Communities, Nursing Care Communities offer 24-hour skilled nursing care and therefore focus especially on seniors’ medical needs. They offer significant assistance with activities of daily living such as bathing and eating and help seniors meet their daily physical, social, psychological and medical needs.
Residents typically share a room and are provided with meals in a central dining area. Some communities offer additional activities that try to stimulate residents’ social, mental and physical ability.
The Cost of Nursing Care Communities
Due to the fact that Nursing Care Communities offer a very high level of care, they are one of the most expensive care options. Cost depends on the setting where the care is provided, the geographic location of the community and the number of services and amenities offered.
The cost for a Nursing Care Community ranges between $4,000 and $8,000 per month. Many residents use supplemental funding such as Medicare and/or Medicaid or opt for long-term care insurance in order to cover these expenses. Nevertheless, private pay is mostly required for financing a nursing home.
Choosing a Nursing Care Community
Nursing Care Communities are an excellent option to ensure your or your loved one’s well-being and safety are taken care of at all times. Seniors with poor health conditions, in particular, should consider this type of care if they are not able to live by themselves anymore.
In order to facilitate finding the perfect Nursing Care Community, CareCommunities has put together an extensive senior care communities catalog with facilities located all across the nation. This enables you to browse for potential communities and connect with them easily.
Asking friends, family members and colleagues for their experiences and recommendations, however, can also provide valuable information and assist with the process of finding a senior care community.
In the end, visiting a facility in person should be considered as a last step before making the final decision. Getting to know the staff and perhaps receiving insider information from residents and their friends and families can help evaluate whether the community is trustworthy and suitable to become the perfect new home for your loved one or yourself.
Is a Nursing Home right for you or your loved one? Download our Nursing Home checklist to find out.