When our elders find it difficult to take care of themselves or have no one at home who can provide them with much-needed medical care, the first thing that comes to mind is assisted living and skilled nursing. These two types of facilities are the best to meet the needs of such elders. However, you cannot choose both of these, and that is when you need to know the difference between the two so that you can go with one of them. Let’s now try to find the major differences between the two that can solve our query.

How can you define Assisted Living?

The best way to define assisted living is as   a facility that plays the role of a comfortable house for people who need love, care, and medical help during the golden period of their lives. These arcadia assisted living facilities help them maintain an independent lifestyle, which is very important, especially when you know that you are alone and have to struggle with everything on your own. This helps in building the courage, confidence, and desire to live a beautiful life. You will find compassionate staff working at these places who are certified and licensed to work there. Some even volunteer to work in such places because they want to help such people and spend good time with them.

The patients who come here learn a lot, like how to start bringing their mobiles without any help, eat their meals after they see others doing the same and keep on trying for it, wear and take off their dresses by themselves, take care of their personal hygiene, take part in fun activities, and start sharing their thoughts with others in the facility. So, all these positive changes are just because they have a new home, a new life, and new friends who can stay with them forever. It is like a ray of sunshine that enters their life.

What is the concept of Skilled Nursing?

With the name skilled Nursing, you may already have an idea of what it can be about. Yes, skilled nursing is about offering urgent medical help to patients who are terminally ill and have no one to take care of them. It is similar to a high-end healthcare facility, with an on-site doctor and full-time nurses overseeing each resident’s care. SNFs provide skilled healthcare services in a structured and professional environment, often serving as a transitional phase between hospitalization and returning home.  As in assisted facilities, these people keep track of all the people who stay at their facilities and ensure that all of their information is saved and shared with all of the relevant authorities in the group. This allows them to track down each patient, his medical history, treatment plan, and any necessary medications and injectables. 

What is the difference between these two facilities?

Assisted living and skilled nursing are two distinct forms of long-term care designed to cater to varying levels of assistance and medical needs for seniors and individuals with disabilities. While both offer support, they differ significantly in terms of services, healthcare expertise, and the level of care provided.

Key features of assisted living facilities are:

• Daily Living Assistance: Assisted living provides help with activities of daily living (ADLs), including bathing, dressing, meal preparation, medication reminders, and housekeeping.
• Social Engagement:  Assisted living facilities encourage social interactions and often organize group activities, outings, and events to keep residents engaged and connected.
• Independent Living: Residents typically have their own private or semi-private apartments or rooms, promoting a sense of privacy and independence.
• Minimal Medical Care: Assisted living facilities are not equipped to provide complex medical treatments or round-the-clock medical supervision. However, they may have staff trained to handle emergencies.

Key features of skilled nursing facilities: 

• Medical Care and Rehabilitation: SNFs provide 24/7 medical care, specialized nursing services, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy for residents recovering from surgeries, injuries, or managing chronic conditions.
• Professional Medical Staff: Skilled nursing facilities have a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals, including registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, therapists, and other specialized staff to manage medical conditions and treatments.
• Intensive Care: Individuals with acute illnesses, post-surgery recovery, wound care needs, or chronic conditions requiring regular monitoring can benefit from the comprehensive care provided in skilled nursing facilities.
• Short-term or Long-term Stay: SNFs are suitable for both short-term rehabilitation stays and long-term care, depending on the individual’s medical requirements.

Conclusion: 

So, you can check out the major differences between the two and see which one you need for your loved ones. However, the best thing about these two is that you need not worry about your people because the team working for these facilities makes sure that each resident stays in comfort, gets the best medical care, feels at home, and has people around them who can talk to them, share their thoughts, and see how life is taking it all. You can even visit these places first to know whether everything that you have read about is true or not. This will help you make the right decision.