What is the difference between Long-Term Care and Skilled Care?

After discharge from the hospital, sometimes a facility can be the best option to ensure the health and safety of the patient.  You might be confused with the terms you hear as well, including long-term, short-term, or skilled care.  Understanding each of these can help when determining the best fit for your loved one.

Skilled Nursing

Skilled nursing is the type of care that is usually short-term acute care.  At a facility that offers skilled nursing, you can be expected to see the facility offering around-the-clock care from nurses, certified nursing assistants, and therapists who are all overseen by the doctor on staff. 

At Iliff, our skilled nursing includes:

  • Wound Care
  • Therapy in the forms of physical, occupational, and speech
  • Respiratory Therapy
  • Pulmonary rehabilitation
  • COPD/CHF Management
  • Cardiac Care
  • Frequent monitoring of blood sugar and blood pressure

Skilled nursing is mainly used as a transitional place between the hospital and their home or another assisted living facility.

Long-Term Care

Long-term care is the type of care where a person needs around-the-clock care and assistance for their daily activities such as bathing, eating regular meals, taking medications on time, or needs hands-on care or supervision for their safety. 

At Iliff, our long-term care is great for patients that may have:

  • Dementia
  • Alzheimer’s Disease
  • Parkinson’s Disease
  • Other cognitive disorders
  • Limited mobility causing the inability to live by themselves

Short-Term Care

Short-term care at Iliff can be after an illness, a medical issue such as a stroke, or after surgery.  This could range from a few weeks to a few months.  This is similar to the skilled nursing listed above.

Before discharging a patient, the doctor will decide which type of care is best depending on the medical issues at hand. This can also be a decision for the family to decide based on the ability of care that is needed and the caregivers available.  It is also to ensure that the patient is going to be going back to a situation that is the safest for them and in which they can continue treatment post-hospital visit.