Making the move from a home, condo, or apartment to a senior living community can be difficult. It may not be the only move an older adult needs to make, however. In fact, many seniors need to move to a new level of care after assisted living to ensure their needs are attended to. When to move from assisted living to skilled nursing care, though, can be difficult to decide.
Learning more about different senior living options and how they fit your family’s specific needs can help you make a more educated decision.
About Assisted Living Communities
Also called:
- Assisted living facilities
- ALFs
Assisted living communities provide a supportive environment for older adults who need help with day-to-day tasks such as bathing, dressing (activities of daily living/ADLs), and managing medications (instrumental activities of daily living/IADLs). These communities offer a range of services, including meal preparation, transportation, and arrangement of social activities while promoting as much independence as possible.
Sometimes these communities have specialized memory care units specially catered to people living with memory loss and cognitive decline. Many assisted living communities also offer short-term stays to give family caregivers a break from caregiving responsibilities.
Amenities and services provided:
- Personal care services
- Regular social activities
- Short-term respite care
- Structured environment
About Skilled Nursing Care Communities
Also called:
- Nursing home care facilities
- Nursing home facilities
- Skilled nursing facilities
- SNFs
Skilled nursing care communities are senior living options where registered nurses, caregivers, and other professionals provide specialized care to people with complex medical needs. Older people living with late-stage Alzheimer’s disease, diabetic neuropathy, or reduced kidney function, for example, may all benefit from the type of care delivered in these communities.
Skilled services provided:
- Rehabilitation services, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy
- 24-hour care
- Wound care
- On-site licensed nurses
- More clinical environment
Assisted Living or Skilled Nursing: Which is Right for Your Loved One?
If your loved one can manage life with just a little extra help with daily tasks, assisted living can be the right choice.
If your loved one has advanced care needs, a skilled nursing community may be a better fit.
Assisted living and skilled nursing care are not your only choices, though. You also have the option of continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs). These communities offer different levels of care on a single campus, so residents do not need to move to a different location when their ongoing care needs change. If you believe your loved one needs just assisted living now but may later need more specialized caregiver attention or medical attention, making the move to a CCRC may be ideal.
Making the Move from Assisted Living to Skilled Nursing Care
Do you believe that skilled nursing care is the right choice for your family member who is currently an assisted living resident?
The following can help ease the transition from assisted living to skilled nursing care:
- Discuss your options and safety concerns as a family.
- Discuss payment plans and insurance coverage, as not all communities accept Medicaid and there may be exceptions to what Medicare covers. Nursing home costs are typically higher than assisted living costs, so do not skip this conversation.
- Find communities in your budget and area.
- Tour the communities to see which one best fits your loved one’s needs.
- Discuss whether your loved one would prefer a private room or semi-private room.
- Arrange move-in details with community staff members and professional senior movers to make move-in day less stressful.
- Bring personal items so your loved one feels more at home.
- Visit your loved one often.
Long-term Care FAQs
What is the next step after assisted living?
For some seniors, there is no next step after assisted living; this level of care perfectly suits their needs for the rest of their lives. For others, memory care is ideal if they experience severe cognitive decline due to memory loss. Still others may benefit from skilled nursing care if they require intensive care due to severe disabilities.
What are three predictors for admission to a nursing home?
Recent hospitalizations, Alzheimer’s disease, and severe difficulties with activities of daily living are all common predictors of admission to nursing homes.
When should someone go from assisted living to a nursing home?
Signs it’s time to move from assisted living to skilled nursing care include:
- Families want peace of mind that their loved one will have a good quality of life
- Residents have progressive health conditions that require greater medical attention over time
- Assisted living staff can no longer safely attend to the residents’ needs
- The assisted living community does not have the on-site medical equipment necessary to properly address the residents’ complex medical conditions
How to decide between assisted living and nursing homes?
Assisted living communities support seniors who require some level of care but do not need the specialized medical care provided by skilled nursing care communities. When a higher level of care is needed, skilled nursing services can be the right choice.
What level of care do you need?
Wondering when to move from assisted living to skilled nursing care? You aren’t alone.
Deciding which level of care (assisted living, skilled nursing, memory care, independent living, etc.) your loved one needs requires careful consideration. Ask yourself whether you think assisted living, which helps with basic tasks like bathing and meal preparation, is enough to cover your loved one’s needs. If not, making the move to a skilled nursing community may be the right choice.
Disclaimer: Each person’s situation is unique. This article is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to take the place of medical, financial, tax or legal advice.