People often wait until care services are needed before considering where they want their care, who will be responsible for caregiving and having the funds to pay for their care. Owing a long-term care plan pays for these services to remain at home and have competent and seasoned care professionals or, if needed to, transition to a care center.

Owning a long-term care plan in place is paying small sums of money incrementally to have funds in the future to pay for care services that will not interfere with your lifestyle expenses. 

Assisted living facilities and nursing homes are the most common facilities for long-term care when you need to transfer from your home to a care center. 

People use the terms assisted living and nursing home without understanding how these facilities differ. 

Assisted living is for people who do not need full-time assistance with their daily care activities.

  • Bathing or showering;
  • Cooking;
  • Day-to-day housekeeping duties and chores;
  • Laundry;
  • Medication management
  • Transportation to medical appointments or stores.
  • Assisted living residents may have individual apartments, or the facility will offer offers shared rooms at a reduced fee.
  • Assisted living facilities offer amenities for residents. Residents have access to community areas such as dining rooms, gyms, recreational activities, some allow pets, entertainment and cultural activities, and community rooms. 
  • Most offer meals plans for those who prefer not to cook, security, and housekeeping services.

Nursing Homes:

  • Nursing homes services provide more personal care services.
  • Nursing homes are appropriate for seniors who are primarily bedridden or wheelchair-bound or need more frequent medical care and supervision for dementia, stroke, frailty, or health conditions requiring more personal care services.
  • Nursing homes offer skilled nursing care. This means that nursing homes provide medically-necessary care that may only be provided by experienced or licensed medical personnel. Examples of professional nursing care include: intravenous injections, managing a feeding tube, wound care, tracheotomy care, colostomy care, and catheter care.
  • Nursing homes also offer aid in getting dressed, getting in and out of bed, and daily medical management for chronic conditions.
  • Nursing home residents often have physical or mental health conditions that require them to be cared for and care supervision for the rest of their lives.

Nursing Homes:

  • Nursing Homes are also known as skilled nursing facilities. They provide more intensive daily care, including medical care and personal care with activities of daily living.
  • Nursing homes are appropriate for bedridden seniors in wheelchairs or care supervision for conditions such as dementia or various health needs.
  • Nursing homes offer skilled nursing care. This means that nursing homes will provide medically necessary care that can only be provided by experienced or licensed medical personnel. Professional nursing care includes intravenous injections, managing a feeding tube, wound care, tracheotomy care, colostomy care, and catheter care.
  • Nursing homes offer assistance with getting dressed, getting in and out of bed, and daily medical management for chronic conditions.
  • Nursing homes offer care for patients with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia, but not all nursing homes have a locked-down memory care unit specifically for people suffering from these conditions.