Article Contents
Introduction
Choosing which facility to take your loved one can be a tough choice. And deciding between Rehab Centers vs Nursing Homes is especially difficult.
You want the faster healing benefits of rehab but also want the specialized geriatric care that Nursing Homes provide. And the gradual blurring of lines between the two facilities has not made it easier.
It is essential to understand what each type of facility offers to pick the best one for your loved one. And below are the differences, similarities, and ways in which they work together.
Questions to ask yourself :
- Do you need short-term or long-term care?
- What are your goals for your loved one’s care?
Would you like to know more about other Senior Living options? Check out more information in our Senior Living Guide.
What Is a Nursing Home?
A Nursing Home is a facility that provides nursing and personal care to old and disabled people.
What kind of services do Nursing Homes offer?
Nursing Home Facilities (NHFs) provide patients with the highest level of care outside of hospitals. They help with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) such as walking, bathing, grooming, and eating.
NHFs are comfort or terminal-based care facilities. A majority of the residents have lost their ability to care for themselves on a functional or physical level.
Unlike rehabs that are popular for high-intensity therapy, NHFs offer low-intensity therapy to accommodate a slow recovery. Most residents are weak and frail, thus the need for the adaptation of care to their tolerance.
As a rule of thumb, high-intensity therapy is only allowed if the patient can withstand 3 hours. Therapy in NHFs mainly keeps the patients active and mobile and is often delegated to nursing staff or a therapeutic recreation person.
NHFs are residential facilities and are licensed as long-term facilities. They are made to feel like a new home for the resident. Patients are even encouraged to bring their pieces of furniture to make the living space their own.
NHFs go a step further in their care to meet their patients’ physical and social, and emotional needs by providing personal care and social and recreational activities.
What Are Rehabilitation Centers?
Rehabilitation Centers are private or public facilities that provide therapy or training to complete recovery after major surgery, accident, or stroke.
Who needs rehab?
You should consider rehab for your loved ones if they require intensive therapy and are likely to regain control of their bodies and get back to the lives they had before rehab with the help of professionals.
They are for patients who may have suffered a traumatic brain injury, the effects of a long-term terminal, amputation, or debilitating illness.
What services do they offer?
Rehabs offer physical, speech, occupational therapy, and counseling focused on restoring independence. They help patients regain mobility, strength, and balance to resume everyday life independently in society. Each facility is different, and some may also provide specialized treatments as well.
Most Rehab centers fall under short-term facilities, and beds have a quick turnaround time. Their aim is to get the patients back on their feet as quickly and safely as possible. Nursing Homes, in contrast, are more likely to accept patients who won’t transition back to their previous daily routine.
Unlike Nursing Homes, most rehab staff are trained to deal with patients of all ages and not just older adults. The most common reason senior citizens go to rehab centers is that they are recovering from an injury or procedure like a hip or knee replacement, stroke, or heart disease.
Is Rehab a type of Skilled Nursing Facility?
No. Rehab is not a type of Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF). SNFs have long-term-care certified nurses as the majority of its staff. While short-term, rehab-certified-staff populate rehabs. A rehab center is more intensive in its approach than an SNF.
When Would Someone Go to a Rehab Center vs a Nursing Home?
The primary factors that determine when someone should go to a rehab center rather than a nursing home depend on their specific care needs and goals. Some notable factors include:
When someone goes to a rehab center:
Individuals typically go to a rehabilitation center when they need intensive, short-term therapy and medical care to recover from a specific injury, illness, or medical event, such as:
- Stroke
- Orthopedic surgery (e.g. hip/knee replacement)
- Serious accident or trauma (e.g. spinal cord injury, amputation)
- Neurological condition (e.g. Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis)
- Severe debilitating illness (e.g. heart attack, pneumonia)
- Substance abuse
The goal of rehab is to help the patient regain their maximum level of independence and functioning, so they can safely return home or to a lower level of care.
When someone goes to a nursing home:
On the other hand, people go to a nursing home when they require 24/7 long-term care and assistance with daily living activities due to:
- Chronic, progressive medical conditions that require continuous skilled nursing care
- Significant cognitive impairments like dementia that make independent living unsafe
- Frailty and need for assistance with activities like bathing, dressing, medication management
- Lack of adequate family/caregiver support to provide the required level of care at home
Nursing homes provide comprehensive medical care, personal care services, and support for residents who can no longer live independently.
What Are the Differences Between Rehab Centers and Nursing Homes?
Rehab Centers provide short-term rehabilitative care through intensive therapy to help patients resume their everyday lives. On the other hand, Nursing Homes provide personal or nursing care for long-term or end-of-life patients.
| Nursing Homes | Rehabilitation Centers |
| Specialize in older people | Cater to all ages |
| Focus on offering end-of-life comfort care | Focus on recovery to resume life in society |
| Specialize in fragile and frail patients who cannot withstand acute therapy | Treat semi-weak patients who are strong enough to undergo acute therapy |
| Most patients suffer from debilitating illnesses and need to be monitored by medical professionals | Most patients have been treated in hospital and require the attention of a physical therapist to complete recovery |
As you can see from the table, there is a vast difference between Nursing Home-provided care and Rehab-provided care.
Do Nursing Homes Do Rehab?
Yes. Nursing Homes offer low-intensity rehabilitation services to keep patients mobile and active. Some have rehabilitation wings that provide high-intensity therapy, but most NHF patients are too weak and frail to withstand it.
Do they work together?
In some cases, Rehabs and Nursing Homes work together. A patient may start at rehab and transition to a Nursing Home. Or from a Nursing Home to rehab and then back to the Nursing Home.
Newer facilities combine Nursing Homes and Rehab Centers under one roof to allow patients to transition from service to service with ease and peace of mind. A patient can transition between the two until they can go back to their everyday lives.
How many days does Medicare pay for rehab in Nursing Home?
Medicare pays for the first 100 days of a patient’s stay at a Nursing home facility each benefit period. Care can be partially or fully covered by Medicare depending on the terms of the treatment and how long your loved one will need care.
Take a look at some related articles to learn more about these topics:
Medicare Benefits for Seniors: Complete Guide
Skilled Nursing Facility vs Nursing Home
Know Everything about Medicare and Medicaid Benefits
Conclusion
So yes, you cannot compare Rehab Centers vs Nursing Homes. There isn’t one that is better than the other. They have different goals and thus different treatments, so you need to observe what kind of treatment your loved one needs and can handle to know which of the two will work better for them.
Ask your doctor’s office for recommendations on which facility would be more suitable for your loved one’s needs and goals. And then, do thorough research into the facilities you look into through on-site observation. Ask the hard questions and be very picky. Discuss with your loved one and family members to choose a suitable facility.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Does Medicare cover rehab in a nursing home?
The answer to this question is not a simple yes or no. Medicare covers the cost of short-term stays in skilled nursing facilities that meet certain criteria. For inpatient rehab, Medicare will cover if you are admitted to the hospital for at least three days and require care from a skilled nursing facility.
-
Can a nursing home give a patient rehab?
Yes, a nursing home can give a patient low-intensity rehab service. Many nursing homes have rehabilitation programs that can help patients regain their strength and mobility.
-
Do nursing homes count as inpatient rehab?
Nursing homes can offer a variety of rehab services. However, typically speaking, nursing homes do not count as inpatient rehab facilities.
-
How much does a rehab center cost?
The cost of rehabilitation centers in the United States can vary quite a bit. The wide range in costs reflects factors like the reputation and amenities of the rehab facility, the intensity of services required, and whether the stay is covered (partially or fully) by insurance.
Typical inpatient rehab center costs:
- 30-day program: $6,000 – $20,000
- 60-90 day program: $12,000 – $60,000
-
Can a rehab center keep you against your will?
No, a rehabilitation center cannot keep a patient against their will, unless certain legal criteria are met. For a patient to be held involuntarily, there would need to be a formal psychiatric evaluation and court order determining they lack decision-making capacity. Even then, the commitment would typically be to a psychiatric facility, not a general rehabilitation center.
