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Comparing all of your senior living options is a challenge. Some companies use the same terminology to describe different services. It can be confusing, but it is essential to choose the type of care best suited for your individual needs. Here’s a breakdown to help you learn the differences between these options. We’ve provided as much information as possible to help you every step of the way.
Nursing Home Compare
Nursing homes provide medical and daily living care to seniors. When comparing these locations, look carefully at the individual services offered, the amount of space and privacy given, and the type of qualified professionals on staff.
Care Comparison
Nursing homes provide both daily living support as well as medical care in a single location. In most cases, individuals have a single room that they may share with another person. You are no longer living independently or in your home. Another consideration here is the different types of nursing homes. Some offer more secure locations with programming and support for individuals who suffer from Alzheimer’s or dementia. These memory care locations are a critical resource because the staff is educated on how to work with individuals suffering from this condition specifically. Compare these options:
- Nursing home vs home care
- Nursing home vs hospice
- Nursing home vs memory care
- Nursing home vs assisted living
Nursing Home Cost Comparison
When considering nursing homes, costs depend on the amount of space, privacy, and level of care needed. Those who need more medical care will spend more here. Nursing homes cost more than assisted living communities or in-home care, but Medicare may help cover some costs.
Nursing Home Rating Comparison
We encourage you to use our website to carefully compare options in senior homes and nursing homes. Look to each location with information about staffing, services, and memory care availability.
Assisted Living Compare
Assisted living is a service provided generally with more freedom and privacy than other forms of care. Seniors can expect support for numerous day-to-day needs.
Care Comparison
Assisted living communities allow individuals needing care to live close to each other but in separate apartment-like homes. This is not end-of-life care, because it does not usually involve any type of medical or medication support. Still, you are no longer living at home. Compare options such as these:
- Assisted living vs home care
- Assisted living vs hospice
- Assisted living vs independent living
- Assisted living vs memory care
Assisted Living Cost Comparison
The cost of assisted living is more than living at home, but is typically less expensive than medical-based care such as memory care or nursing homes. Seniors will find a wide range of cost options here, but keep in mind that Medicare does not generally cover this type of care.
Assisted Living Rating Comparison
We encourage you to use our site to compare assisted living communities in your area. Learn about the services, costs, and overall staffing levels at any location.
Hospice Compare
Hospice is a type of end-of-life care, providing individuals with medical and support in their last weeks and months of life. This is a very specialized type of care designed for those who need comprehensive support.
Care Comparison
Hospice care provides support for an individual’s needs, including day-to-day living needs, medications, medical support, and overall assistance. Generally, this type of care is designed to make the final days or months more pain-free while supporting family members.
Hospice Cost Comparison
Hospice costs range widely but are typically more expensive than other types of care. However, most hospice centers provide care (at home or in the location) for a limited amount of time. Additionally, most types of senior insurance programs and Medicare will help to pay for hospice needs.
Hospice Rating Comparison
Making these final decisions is difficult. If you are looking for information on hospice care, use our site to help you navigate the various options available in your area.
Skilled Nursing Compare
Skilled nursing services focus specifically on locations that provide medically required care. Here, seniors who need services or treatments that can only be done by a licensed and registered nurse get the care they need. This includes care such as rehabilitation, healing from wounds or surgery, and care for tube feeding. It can also be the ideal location for seniors who have health conditions that are changing often or can be life-threatening.
Skilled Nursing Cost Comparison
Skilled nursing can be expensive and typically costs more than nursing homes or assisted living communities. This is due to the higher level of required care. Medicare and most insurance programs support this type of care.
Skilled Nursing Rating Comparison
Choosing the best skilled nursing service is critical and rarely easy to do. Use our site to compare skilled nursing locations near you right now.
Home Care Compare
Home care service is just that – a professional comes to your home to help you with the services you need. This may include support for day-to-day living chores around the home, daily dressing, hygiene, and meals. Most often, home care does not provide for medical treatment.
Care Comparison
Home care is done in your home rather than another location, but the types of services provided can range widely. Some skilled nurses will visit homes to provide medical care in that setting as well.
Home Care Cost Comparison
Home care costs less than most other types of care because you remain at home. It is also very flexible based on the amount of time an individual needs someone at the home.
Home Care Rating Comparison
We offer home care ratings on most services provided. Learn more about the options for home care in your area before you trust someone with your loved one.
Medicare and Medicaid Comparison
Medicare is a federally funded program providing support for an individual’s medical needs both in terms of medical care and preventative care. Medicaid is a state-funded program that offers financial support to seniors who have a lower income but also provides financial support for many of the health-related services they need. Medicare and Medicaid programs can help to cover many of the costs associated with maintaining physical and mental health needs throughout a senior’s lifetime both within and outside of healthcare facilities.
Supplemental Plans
To fill in the gaps in medical care, seniors should compare supplemental plans. They help to accommodate additional needs for seniors that traditional Medicare does not cover. Medicare Advantage plans help to fund services like prescription drug coverage that Medicare does not offer. Medigap policies help to reduce costs paid for services you need that Medicare does not, such as payments for coinsurance, copayments, and deductibles.
Ana has covered a wide range of topics in her 20-plus-year career as a journalist, contributing to numerous international and domestic publications. For several years she served as a regular contributor to Realtor.com. Some of the publications she’s written for… Learn More About Ana Durrani
Scott founded Select Home Care Portland in 2009 and has been helping seniors live their best life at home or in their local senior community ever since. As an advocate for seniors, the primary philosophy has been to listen, educate… Learn More About Scott Witt