Nursing Homes (SNF)

On senior living tours, guides often direct your attention to the shiny features they’re proudest of. These amenities may be great, but this checklist of essentials can clue you in to the subtler indicators of a quality community.

This guide explains nursing home room regulations, important questions to ask the facility prior to move-in, and tips for anticipating items nursing home residents need (and don’t need).

When a senior must go to a skilled nursing facility for rehabilitation after a hospital stay, it’s important for family members to understand this care transition, the new care plan and the rehab facility’s discharge criteria.

The high cost of a nursing home stay can overwhelm seniors and their family members very quickly. Depending on the circumstances, Medicare, Medicaid or both programs may be used to cover nursing home expenses.

Medicare pays for senior rehabilitation in a skilled nursing facility, but only for a limited time and under certain circumstances. Be aware of Medicare’s rules for rehab coverage to avoid costly surprises.

When moving into a skilled nursing facility the care team can be confusing for seniors and their family members. Learn who on the staff you should get to know and who's responsible for which aspects of senior care.

Confusion often arises surrounding use of the term “skilled nursing.” Understanding the terminology used in the long-term care industry is an important first step in determining viable care options for an aging loved one.

Choosing a nursing home for a senior is a difficult process. Use this checklist to ensure you ask all the important questions while touring skilled nursing facilities and to help you find the right fit for your aging loved one.

Placing a senior in a nursing home can feel like a monumental failure, but this isn’t the case. Adjusting your attitude can help you realize that you are actually fulfilling the underlying commitment you made to your loved one.

In addition to wisdom, aging brings changes that can make staying in a cherished home difficult, if not impossible. As an older adult’s care needs change over time, so will their senior housing options.

C. diff infections are on the rise in hospitals and nursing homes, and ill seniors are particularly vulnerable to this persistent bug. Use these best hygiene and antibiotic practices to keep your loved one and yourself healthy.

A senior’s income and assets must fall below certain limits to qualify for long-term care Medicaid. “Income cap” states allow applicants to use a Miller Trust to help them meet income eligibility guidelines.

After being hospitalized seniors are often prescribed a stay at an inpatient rehabilitation facility to help them get back on their feet. While the focus of their stay is rehabilitation, the services provided by a skilled nursing facility are not limited to therapy.

Trying to please someone with memory issues can seem like a losing battle. Many caregivers bend over backwards for their loved ones only to have their efforts fail or fall short. Sometimes the guilt feels overwhelming.

Scabies is a common skin condition in long-term care facilities like nursing homes and assisted living communities. The resulting rash can be extremely uncomfortable, and may take multiple rounds of treatment to get rid of the parasites.

When a senior is hospitalized, it’s crucial to find out whether they’ve been admitted as an inpatient or registered as an outpatient under observation. This governs whether Medicare will cover their hospital bills and care in a skilled nursing facility.

Seniors with limited income and assets must often use a spend-down strategy to qualify for Medicaid, but gifting can trigger a penalty period of ineligibility. Learn about Medicaid asset transfer rules to avoid problems with paying for long-term care.

A healthy sex life is important for all adults, and becomes even more essential as a person gets older, but sexually active seniors aren't often offered enough educational or emotional support from the elder care facilities where they live or society in general.

It’s impossible to anticipate how a senior may interact with other residents and staff in settings like assisted living facilities and nursing homes, but staff should be prepared to handle difficult interpersonal issues and defuse tensions.

Seniors are pitched the benefits of a reverse mortgage as a way to "unlock" the equity in their home. However, what happens when they need a higher level of care, can no longer live in the home or try to qualify for Medicaid?