By Tim Tuttle
Nursing homes are the next step in the continuum of care. But the term nursing home can be confusing as it may refer to two distinct types of facilities: skilled nursing facilities/rehabilitation hospitals and long-term care facilities. Many nursing homes provide both.
Skilled nursing facilities and rehabilitation hospitals provide short-term comprehensive care and physical rehabilitation after a hospital stay for people recovering from acute medical issues, such as a stroke, heart attack, broken bone, or a joint replacement. The stay in a rehab facility is intended to help patients get back to functioning as close as possible to what they were prior to being admitted to a hospital.
The cost of these facilities is generally covered by Medicare and health insurance, as they are a continuation of the care the patient was receiving in the hospital. A patient needs to be admitted to a hospital for three consecutive days to qualify for Medicare-covered in-patient physical rehab.
Long-term care facilities are designed for permanent custodial care of elderly or disabled patients. Medicare does not cover the cost of rent and meals in these facilities. In many cases, the costs – often very high – are borne by residents or their loved ones. For seniors on Medicaid, or the CHOICES program as it is named in Tennessee, the cost of these facilities can be covered once the senior exhausts most of his or her resources.
Long-term care facilities differ from other senior living options due to their medical mission and resources. Like assisted living and memory care communities, long-term care facilities help with activities of daily living. Unlike the other communities, their services are more clinical and focus more on medical care than on comfort and quality of life.
Long-term care facilities are required to have licensed nursing staff to be on site 24 hours a day to provide medical care. Additionally, the facilities must always have a physician on site or on call. Often, these facilities and the rooms within them resemble a hospital more than an assisted or independent living community. Typically, families try to avoid moving their loved ones into long-term care facilities due to cost, activities, and quality of life.
The cost of rent in a long-term care facility largely depends on whether the resident has a private or semi-private room. Both are expensive. In Nashville, the cost for a semi-private room averages around $9500 per month; the cost for a private room is $11,000 or more. Many seniors are forced to eventually go on the CHOICES program once their resources are exhausted due to the high cost of long-term care facilities.
We can introduce you to assisted living communities which may allow you or your loved one to stay out of a long-term care facility. We can also advise on which long-term care facility may work for you or your loved one, if that is what is needed.
Assisted Living Locators (ALL) South Nashville is owned by Tim Tuttle, a retired Air Force officer, the Commander of the Franklin Veterans of Foreign Wars, and a member of Franklin (Tennessee) First United Methodist Church. Tim was inspired to open ALL – South Nashville five years ago after his mother’s experience needing care after a hospitalization. Tim’s teammate, Nancy Blankinship, is a social worker with over 20 years of experience working with seniors. Nancy’s a native Middle Tennessean who personally nursed a loved one through hospice to his passing. Tim has received accolades for his presentation to Franklin First United Methodist Church’s Adult Ministry Plus program. Please contact him at if you are interested in him providing instruction to your senior ministry program.