We all need help from time to time. For elderly patients dealing with serious health conditions, getting help sometimes means staying for a time at a skilled nursing facility. But with so many options, it can be hard for family members to know where to turn.

Here at Senior Health Care Solutions, we understand that you want the very best for your elderly loved ones. You want to make sure they receive the care they need in a positive, state-of-the-art environment that offers multiple opportunities to stay active and engaged.

You also want to make sure they are surrounded by experienced, licensed, courteous healthcare professionals who are capable of offering them the support they require. Most of all, you want them to be comfortable, safe, healthy, and happy.

Senior Health Care Solutions offers just such an experience at all our Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers in Delaware Valley, Sayre, and Green Valley, PA. To help you understand exactly what a skilled nursing facility is and what defines a good one, we’ve included some useful information below.

If you have any questions or comments about skilled nursing facilities, contact Senior Health Care Solutions today!

What’s the Difference Between a Skilled Nursing Facility and a Nursing Home?

One of the most common misconceptions about senior care is that a skilled nursing facility is the same thing as a nursing home. While they share numerous similarities, the truth is that these two things are very different in some majorly important ways.

At a skilled nursing facility, patients receive round-the-clock assistance along with specialized in-patient rehabilitation and medical treatment, such as cardiac recovery services or restorative therapy. Skilled nursing facilities are always staffed by trained medical professionals and can provide either long-term or short-term support.

At a nursing home, the main emphasis is on providing assistance with daily living activities, such as helping patients eat, bathe, get dressed, take their medications, and manage chronic health conditions. Care is provided primarily by licensed practical nurses and nursing aides supervised by a registered nurse.

Ultimately, the main difference between a skilled nursing facility and a nursing home is that a skilled nursing facility offers transitional care, wherein the goal is to rehabilitate the patient to the point where they can return to their own home. A nursing home, meanwhile, foremost offers long-term residential care, essentially becoming the patient’s home. 

3 Things to Look For When Choosing a Skilled Nursing Facility

Now that we know the difference between a skilled nursing facility and a nursing home, let’s talk about some qualities you should look for when selecting a skilled nursing facility. 

A Range of High-Quality Medical Treatment Options

First and most important, when looking at a skilled nursing facility, the first goal should be to look for ones that offer the treatment and therapy options your loved one needs. If your loved one is recovering from a kidney condition, for example, choosing a skilled nursing facility that offers renal disease services should be your top priority.

Different facilities offer a different range of medical treatment options, so it pays to research what services each location provides

A Positive Atmosphere with Quality-of-Life Amenities

Recovering from a serious illness or injury is never easy, especially not when the patient needs to stay somewhere other than their own home for a long period of time. A positive atmosphere can help make the transition less difficult.

Likewise, it’s beneficial to have access to life-improving amenities such as daily housekeeping, personal laundry services, daily pharmacy delivery, or medical appointment transportation services.

An Experienced, Licensed, & Compassionate Staff

When you place the care and well-being of a beloved family member into the hands of another person, it helps to feel confident in the knowledge that the person in question is experienced, licensed, and compassionate.

At a good skilled nursing facility, everyone on the staff, from the physical therapists to the administrative team, should be qualified, attentive, and proactive in meeting your loved ones’ needs.

Make the Right Choice, Call Senior Health Care Solutions

Nothing is more important than making sure that your family members are in good hands. Senior Health Care Solutions is locally owned and operated and proud to offer high-quality skilled nursing services at our locations in Delaware Valley, Sayre, and Green Valley, PA.

Whether your loved one is recovering from surgery, rehabbing an injury, or needs help managing the symptoms of a major illness, we strive to treat every elderly patient in our facilities with warmth, respect, courtesy, and the very highest standards of expert medical care. Don’t settle for anything less.

For more information, contact Senior Health Care Solutions today.