Nursing homes have various names. As long as the facility provides the requisite services, a nursing home is a nursing home regardless of its formal name. Nursing homes are sometimes located within a hospital or medical center as separate skilled nursing units. More often, nursing homes are distinct facilities separate from hospitals. They may also be publicly owned by shareholders.
Most homes have a mixture of residents of various ages who have a variety of medical conditions.
However, facilities may specialize in different types of care. One nursing home may provide only intermediate, or rest home, care for the elderly. Another may only admit people with specific conditions, such as Alzheimer s Disease. Still others may specialize in high intensity care, or subacute care. The need for a nursing home is often defined by an individual s need for 24-hour assistance.