Understanding Care Levels
Assisted Living or Skilled Nursing Care, what is the right choice?
Is it time for a supportive living environment for your loved one?
Making the decision to place your loved one in a highly skilled and supportive living environment can be a challenging one. When you can find a quality assisted living community or licensed skilled nursing center it can be an unexpected positive for everyone. Once they are settled, you will see many benefits. Depending on the situation and care needs you can determine the best option.
There are differences between Skilled Nursing Centers and Assisted Living Communities- often, the determining factor is the need for skilled nursing services that assisted living cannot offer due to state regulations that will make the choice very clear. Consider these points of difference when looking at your specific situation.
Assisted Living Communities
What to expect:
- Apartments with kitchenettes
- Personalized services for some activities of daily living from health aids, sometimes certified but often not.
- State regulations limit nursing staff in the community to the services they can provide.
- Consider the extra costs for nursing services as your loved one ages in place.
- Care needs and cost often indicate a higher level of supportive environment is needed.
- Meals and Social Activities in common dining rooms and activity areas
Skilled Nursing Centers
What to expect:
- Private Rooms
- Personalized services with most or all activities of daily living from Licensed RNs, LPNs, CNAs, Medical directors, Nutritionists, and Physical Therapy.
- Full skilled nursing services offer a higher level of care under state regulations, including injections and wound care, which is not allowed in the assisted environment.
- Meals and Social Activities in common dining room and activity areas, meal delivery to room included.
