Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF) aka Nursing Homes or Rehab Centers

Who Are SNFs For?

Skilled Nursing Facitities or Rehab Centers are for adults requiring additional therapies needed to facilitate recovery from acute care incidents and accidents or major health issues after the hospital has completed its care.  Typically, SNFs utilize Medicare for seniors 65 years and older after the hospital patient has been considered “Admitted” for a 3 night stay vs. staying there for “Observation.”  Additionally, Rehab Centers utilize other insurances such as L & I, LTC Insurance Medicaid Insurance as well as other types of insurances.

Time To Recover

In this setting of 24 hour medical care, specialized therapies are provided based on the residents’ needs for returning home.  Those therapies offered to the recovering residents can include 1 or all of the following: Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech and Cognitive Therapy along with any other comprehensive medical and nursing care or treatments deemed necessary for the residents’ rehabilitation. 

In short, SNFs are generally for short term stays for recovery and treatment.  Some SNFs allow for permanent placement while the cost for this can be very high. 

Which One Should I Choose?

Often times it’s the type of insurances that the patients carry that determines which SNF or list of SNFs that accept those insurances.  Other times there may be a list of SNFs to choose from given by a Social Worker, Hospitalist, or Case Manager to the patients, family members or advocates.  A good rule of thumb is after the hospital has handed over a list of possible Rehab Centers to choose from, research online at – “Find and Compare Nursing Homes | Nursing Home Compare” https://www.medicare.gov/nursinghomecompare/search.html?

Once the scope is narrowed, have a family member or advocate go visit the Rehab Center/s they feel would be options for their loved ones.