To accommodate residents’ diverse needs, nursing homes provide a range of care levels. Those under care receive assistance with daily activities, medication management, diagnosis, and emergency services. The levels are often categorized, from assisted living to skilled nursing and memory care. Here are the levels of care you’ll find in modern nursing facilities:
Skilled Nursing Care
Registered nurses and certified nursing assistants provide a high level of care involving round-the-clock support. Also known as skilled nursing care, this level of care offers medical support for complex needs. Skilled nursing care is typically requested after hospitalization, following surgery, or for chronic conditions, such as heart disease, stroke recovery, and advanced diabetes.
The nursing home may offer a variety of services ranging from wound care to IV therapy. You can also receive rehabilitation therapies to help you regain strength and range of motion. For diabetic patients, care often involves treating foot ulcers and other wounds. Skilled nursing care covers medical supervision and addresses complex medical needs.
Nursing facilities may also offer intermediate skilled care, which involves ongoing monitoring with less intensive support. This level of care is appropriate if you don’t need constant skilled medical attention but still require ongoing health monitoring. The care may involve assistance with medication administration, mobility support, and monitoring of chronic illnesses. Intermediate nursing care offers a balance between medical supervision and independence.
Assisted Living Care
Custodial care, also known as assisted living care, focuses on non-medical support for daily activities. This level of care helps with bathing, dressing, eating, and medication management. This is ideal for those who are limited physically in what they can do. Caregivers also assist with social activities and monitor residents throughout the day. This equips them to promptly respond to an emergency.
Custodial care allows for safety, comfort, and routine support. This care is part of the standard services long-term residents of nursing facilities receive. The care is personalized to the client and may feature physical therapy to help you regain strength, mobility, and flexibility. Assisted living care can also include occupational therapy and speech therapy to help with communication and swallowing.
Although the staff doesn’t offer intensive medical services, they work to keep residents safe and tend to daily needs. Assisted living care may feature residential care, which provides accommodation and assistance with daily living tasks. It may also be part of continuing care, which is a cluster of living options including independent or assisted living and skilled nursing.
Specialized Memory Care
Memory care is designed for residents with Alzheimer’s, dementia, or other cognitive impairments. This level of care provides a secure environment to protect residents from potential harm, such as getting lost. It features specialized programs and activities, and round-the-clock monitoring. Nursing facilities often have dedicated memory care units and structured routines to help reduce confusion and prevent wandering. The homes also offer cognitive therapies to improve mental capacity and enhance their quality of life.
Although memory care is dedicated to cognitive enhancements, some nursing facilities offer it as part of comprehensive services. Residents may also receive rehabilitation services to help with short-term recovery and therapy programs. Rehabilitation helps residents recover from illness, injury, or surgery. In terminal cases, the facility may offer respite care to provide temporary relief for family caregivers. These short-term stays last a few days to several weeks and cover the full suite of services available at the facility.
Find a Nursing Home Today
Nursing facilities offer a wide range of services covering all aspects of medical and non-medical, assisted living care. Whether you need customized therapy or a physician-directed model of care, these homes feature experienced nurses. They offer personalized services to help improve comfort, safety, and quality of life, and stays may be short-term or long-term. Contact a nursing home today to find out more about their services.