Nursing Home Care

Abstract

Nursing homes are an important part of the healthcare system. People residing in nursing homes are generally classified as being short stay, such as for rehabilitation or reconditioning after surgery or illness, or long stay, meaning they and their families are no longer able to meet their needs at home. Dementia and behavior challenges are common in that population. Nursing home staff consists of nurses, physical and occupational therapists, social workers, physicians and nurse practitioners, and administrators. Nursing homes are highly regulated environments and are subjected to government oversight, which is in response to long-standing concerns about quality of care in these facilities. Nursing home care is now incorporated into the healthcare system and costs $175 billion a year, payed mostly by Medicaid, though Medicare will cover some short-term care. Innovation in long-term care includes new models of care, professionalization of staff, ensuring the needed workforce, and ongoing efforts to improve the quality of care. New payment models may include reimbursement systems that are a better fit for long-term care.