Overview
There are twenty different facilities that are a part of the Cascades Healthcare community. Each of those facilities is a skilled nursing facility (SNF). Many of us have heard the terms “nursing home” and “skilled nursing facility” used interchangeably. It’s true that the environments of both can be quite similar. However, there are some notable differences. Read on to learn more about what kind of services you can expect from a skilled nursing facility and how that differs from the care received at a nursing home.
Key Differences
Some of the key differences between the two types of facilities are that nursing homes most commonly provide long term care only with less of an emphasis on medical treatment and recovery, while skilled nursing facilities may offer short term care only with the main emphasis being on medical treatment and recovery. The level of care received at a nursing home is usually more generalized while a skilled nursing facility offers more specialized care.
Check out the table below for a comparison of the key similarities and differences of a nursing home and skilled nursing facility.
| Nursing Homes | Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) |
| Long term care | May be short term care only or a combination of short and long term care |
| For people who don’t need to be hospitalized, but can’t be home | For patients needing post hospital care |
| 24 hour care | 24 hour care |
| Usually have nurses stations | Always have nurses stations |
| Often do not have a fixed schedule, but do have regular activities for residents | Often more structured with scheduled routines and activities |
| Less supervision | Direct supervision by medical professionals |
| Therapy available | Large emphasis on therapy |
| May employ skilled specialists | Always employ skilled specialists such as physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, and audiologists |
| Generalized care | Specific care that includes rehabilitation and medical treatment |
| Residents often live out the remainder of their lives’ there | Primary goal is to restore function so patients can return home |
| Usually no goals or assessments of progress | Assessments of patient progress are completed throughout the patient’s stay |
| Often have special care units for patients with a memory related diagnosis | May have special care units for patients with a memory related diagnosis, often have separate areas for long term and short term patients |
| Not likely to be covered by insurance (may be covered by Medicaid or long term insurance) | Often covered for a set period of time by insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid |
Rehabilitation Programs
One of the key distinctions between a SNF and a Nursing home is that SNFs have a rehabilitation program that includes physical and occupational therapy. To help you better understand the therapy aspect of staying at a SNF, I spoke with a Physical Therapist and a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant from one of our facilities to learn more about their roles in the patient recovery process.
The primary purpose of physical therapy is to help residents regain their mobility. This includes standing, walking, gaining more strength, and improving balance. Our physical therapists create a treatment plan for patient recovery that is approved by the patient’s doctor. Along with instructing residents about how to complete the exercises and explaining their purpose, they also spend time educating patient caregivers with the same information. Our physical therapists treat both long and short term patients with the main goal being to get them back home or to assisted living and to help them become as independent as possible.
Occupational therapy is also key to patient recovery and is part of the treatment plan patients experience while staying at a SNF. The purpose is to help patients return to their activities of daily living (ADLs). This could include hygiene and grooming, dressing, and meal preparation, among many other things. Occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants also help patients determine whether adaptation is needed to return to any of their home or work activities. They, along with physical therapists, involve patient family members and caregivers in creating goals that would lead to the best recovery process and outcome for the patient.
The Many Roles in Our Facilities
Each role in a skilled nursing facility is there for a reason. One thing is for sure, each of these roles is crucial and they all fit together to help our residents recover and feel cared for throughout the duration of their stay. Please follow along this blog series as I dive into each of the roles that exist in our facilities so you can learn more about how our employees positively impact the lives of our residents!
References
“The Difference between Nursing Homes and Skilled Nursing Facilities.” Nursing Home vs Skilled Nursing: What’s the Difference & What Do You Need? | Hebrew SeniorLife, 15 Oct. 2021, www.hebrewseniorlife.org/blog/difference-between-nursing-homes-and-skilled-nursing-facilities.
Helpguidewp. “A Guide to Nursing Homes.” HelpGuide.org, 8 Feb. 2022, www.helpguide.org/articles/senior-housing/a-guide-to-nursing-homes.htm.
Kagan, Julia. “Skilled Nursing Facility.” Investopedia, Investopedia, 21 Sept. 2021, www.investopedia.com/terms/s/skilled-nursing-facility.asp.
“Nursing Homes.” MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 19 Oct. 2021, medlineplus.gov/nursinghomes.html.
“Occupational Therapy’s Role with Skilled Nursing Facilities.” Occupational Therapy’s Role with Skilled Nursing Facilities, The American Occupational Therapy Association, www.aota.org/-/media/Corporate/Files/AboutOT/Professionals/WhatIsOT/RDP/Facts/FactSheet_SkilledNursingFacilities.pdf.