Definition of Nursing Home

People with serious chronic medical conditions often live in special facilities. These residences are called "nursing homes." By definition, a nursing home provides skilled 24-hour medical care to individuals who are unable to manage daily living activities due to debilitating health conditions or old age.

Other Names for Nursing Homes

• Nursing homes can be called different things. They may be referred to as skilled nursing care facilities or long-term care facilities. Nursing homes help people who are unable to care for themselves. These groups include senior citizens with debilitating chronic health problems and younger people who have limited capabilities due to disease or injury.

Function of Nursing Homes

• Nursing homes provide intensive 24-hour care by a staff including nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists and social workers. Residents receive help with their basic living needs, including bathing, eating and taking medication. Nursing homes also manage complex medical needs that require equipment, such as ventilators and IV lines.

Nursing Homes Regulations

• Nursing homes are licensed by state government agencies. In addition, nursing homes are regulated by multiple agencies at the federal level. These agencies include the federal Department of Health and Human Services and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, or JCAHO. Nursing homes undergo periodic inspections to ensure they meet over 150 different regulatory standards, according to Medicare's website.

Cost of Nursing Home Care

• The cost of nursing home care varies by geographic location and level of care that is provided. According to the Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care, the average cost of a nursing home was $209 a day for a private room in 2008. That is over $76,000 a year.

Senior Living that is Not a Nursing Home

• One big distinction between nursing homes and other senior living options is whether staff provide intensive round-the-clock medical care. If 24-hour care is not provided, then it's not a nursing home. A few types of senior housing that are not nursing homes include retirement communities, independent-living facilities and assisted-living facilities.