Nursing homes provide comprehensive, long-term medical care to seniors with acute health conditions in a completely staffed and monitored facility.  Nursing homes, also referred to as skilled nursing facilities, are for seniors who do not need to be in a hospital but can’t be cared for at home and require 24-hour monitoring and medical assistance. Nursing home patients generally suffer from critical or debilitating physical or mental illnesses and are unable to care for themselves. Today's nursing homes offer skilled medical care, physical, occupational and speech therapy, resident activities and dining services.  In addition, some nursing homes offer hospice and end of life care services.

Standard services offered at nursing homes include:

• Private and semi-private rooms

• Three cooked meals a day

• Housekeeping and laundry service

• Rehabilitative therapy, pain management and hospice care

• Exercise, social and physical activity programs

• 24-hour medical staff, therapists and an ombudsman