Nursing homes, sometimes called skilled nursing facilities, provide nursing care, rehabilitation therapy and assistance with activities of daily living to adults of any age. Nursing care is provided by a licensed registered nurse (RN) or licensed practical nurse (LPN) 24 hours per day.

In nursing homes that provide rehabilitation services, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and social workers give patient care and therapy during the day.

Many nursing homes also provide custodial care for patients who cannot live independently either at home or in an assisted living facility. Custodial care involves those activities of daily living that can be provided by non-professional staff and do not require the services of a trained medical professional. Custodial care includes activities such as bathing, dressing, assistance with eating, walking and using the toilet.

Medicare covers skilled care in an approved skilled nursing facility when care requires the attention of a skilled nurse or rehabilitation therapists after a hospitalization. Skilled care may be covered for up to 100 days, although most approved stays are much shorter.

Medicaid covers most skilled nursing home services in a Medicaid-certified facility for those beneficiaries who qualify financially and who have a medical need for this kind of care.

Long-term care insurance policies will cover nursing home care according to the policy benefits.

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