Why does it matter which one you choose?
It is not always easy to choose between nursing and rehabilitation. Whether it’s for yourself or a senior family member, it’s critical to understand what you’re signing up for and the consequences of that decision.
What is a nursing home?
A nursing home is a facility for elderly people who require 24-hour care. Nursing staff members are usually available 24 hours a day in nursing homes.
Some nursing homes are designed to look like hospitals, with nurses performing routine checks and residents receiving scheduled treatments. Other nursing homes strive to create a home-like environment. These facilities appear and feel more like apartments, with nurses and aides looking after the tenants.
Nursing homes are ideal for elderly people suffering from serious illnesses, such as dementia or mobility issues. People suffering from these symptoms will benefit greatly from easy access to trained caregivers and ongoing support.
What is a rehabilitation center?
Rehab centers assist people in recovering from injuries and other issues that prevent them from returning to their routines and/or daily lives.
Sometimes, patients will enter a rehabilitation center because of persistent pain or discomfort. Other times, they will use rehabilitation services to recover from a surgery or injury.
Rehabilitation services are meant to help with a certain problem, and they usually end when that problem gets better.
How do you know which one is right for you?
There are numerous factors that can assist you or a loved one in determining whether or not they require the services of a nursing home or a rehabilitation program.
Consider a nursing home to be a place where people live in order to receive continuous care. In contrast, a rehab center is where people go to get temporary help with healing after being in the hospital, recovering, or in pain.
Desired Length of Stay
The patient’s desired length of stay is an important consideration when deciding between a nursing home and a rehabilitation facility.
Residents typically enter nursing homes for long-term care, which can last weeks, months, or even years.
Patients, on the other hand, typically enter a rehabilitation facility for short-term care, typically lasting days or weeks. This time difference is due to the fact that rehabilitation focuses on one or more specific areas of need, whereas nursing homes focus on the need for more general, constant care.
Severity of Need
The severity of the patient’s needs is another distinction to make before deciding between nursing and rehabilitation.
Rehabilitation is usually sufficient if the patient is self-sufficient or has access to a capable caregiver. If the patient is unable to live or care for themselves, a nursing home is usually the best place for them to stay.
Nursing homes are the best option for elderly people who require constant assistance because they provide long-term care 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Specificity of issue
The specificity of the patient’s problem is another factor that can distinguish nursing from rehabilitation.
A nursing home, on the other hand, is the better option if a patient has dementia and requires constant supervision. Even if doctors or specialists do not see them as frequently, the nurses and caregivers at a nursing home will be able to meet many of their needs.
Expenses
Regardless of a patient’s needs, expenses and affordability may play a role in the type of care your loved ones receive. Either option may be covered by insurance. However, there is a chance that rehabilitation will necessitate a deductible. To learn more about your options, speak with your doctor’s office and your insurance provider.
Desired Location of Care
When a loved one is ill, you want them to be able to stay in a safe and comfortable environment. While rehabilitation is typically provided in a facility, it can also take place in the patient’s home. Nursing home services, on the other hand, cannot be provided outside of a nursing home due to their very nature unless families implement an at-home caretaker.
A mix of the two
In some cases, patients may find themselves in a facility that provides both a nursing home and a rehabilitation program. Sometimes entire buildings are devoted to assisting the elderly. In such cases, those structures frequently provide access to nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and a variety of other services.
It is also possible that a patient in a long-term nursing facility falls and injures themselves. To treat the injury, this patient may need to enter a rehabilitation program. The patient is then discharged from the nursing home once they have recovered.
In conclusion
It would be ideal if patients could choose between nursing and rehabilitation solely on the basis of where they wanted compassionate care. However, in reality, this decision should be made based on the patient’s physical, mental, and emotional needs. At the end of the day, their well-being will stem more from receiving good health-focused care.
If you are having difficulty making this decision for yourself or a loved one, you should seek the advice of a doctor or specialist. They will be able to consider the patient’s specific needs and then prescribe the most effective treatment plan.
Next steps
Four Seasons Healthcare Solutions in New York can assist you if you require a nursing home or rehab facility. We provide highly skilled nursing facilities as well as cutting-edge rehabilitation services.
Nursing home in NY
Our skilled nursing facility employs experienced, New York State-registered, and licensed nurses. We also keep an optimal nurse-to-patient ratio.
We have a full-time medical staff on-site, as well as a fully certified vent unit and our own pharmacy. With these services, we can provide professional care to even the most medically complex residents.
To learn more, visit our website.
Rehabilitation in NY
Our rehabilitation center is also impressive. We have outperformed all NYS benchmarks. We have an amputation specialist and orthopedic services on-site. We also provide stroke and cardiac rehabilitation, as well as vent and respirator rehabilitation. Finally, we provide physical, occupational, and speech therapies.
More than 80% of residents gain independent mobility. These statistics, our state-of-the-art technology, and how we take such good care of our residents show our dedication. We are committed to enhancing the lives of each and every individual who is part of our organization and community.
