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Factor

Details

Statistics

Number of certified nursing homes

About 15,300 in 2020*

Number of beds

About 1.6 million in 2020*

Number of residents

About 1.3 million in 2020*

Residents (Patients)

Requirements for Medicare coverage

Must need daily skilled nursing care or daily rehabilitation therapy

Must be admitted to the nursing home or rehabilitation service within 30 days after a minimum 3-day hospital stay (waiver of 3-day hospital stay available in some cases, including with some Medicare Advantage plans)

Risk factors for nursing home placement

Older age

Living alone

Inability to care for self

Immobility

Impaired mental status (eg, dementia)

Incontinence

Lack of social or informal support

Poverty

Female sex

Potential benefits for residents

Increased structure

Opportunities for socialization

Nutritional encouragement

Exercise and activities

Access to nursing care

Help with adherence to the drug regimen

Potential problems for residents

Inability to leave the facility

Infrequent visitors

Complaints that may not be believed or taken seriously because residents are ill or old

Abuse, which may be subtle (eg, using medications and physical restraints inappropriately to manage disruptive behavior) or not subtle (eg, pinching, slapping, yanking)

Decline in functional ability‡

Undernutrition and weight loss‡

Pressure injuries†

Incontinence‡

Constipation‡

Infections‡

Depression‡

Polypharmacy‡

Facility

Requirements for Medicare reimbursement

A registered nurse on site 8 hours/day, 7 days/week

Either a registered nurse or licensed vocational nurse/licensed practical nurse 24 hours/day, 7 days/week

Certified nursing assistants sufficient to provide care for residents 24 hours/day, 7 days/week

A full-time social worker if the facility has > 120 beds

A medical director and licensed nursing home administrator

A qualified recreational therapist to provide recreational programs

A rehabilitative therapist

A dietitian

Physicians, pharmacists, dentists, and pastoral services to be available as needed, but not required on site

NOTE: In 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published the Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting Final Rule to implement a minimum staffing requirement for nursing homes in the United States. The timeline for implementation of these requirements tracks from the Final Rule publication date (May 10, 2024) and will be staggered over a 3-year period for all non-rural facilities.

Possible additional services

Medical specialty services (eg, ophthalmologic, otolaryngologic, neurologic, psychiatric, psychologic), which may require transport of patients to other facilities

IV therapy

Enteral nutrition through feeding tubes

Long-term oxygen treatment or ventilator support

Special care units (eg, for patients with Alzheimer disease or cancer)§

Scheduled recreational events for groups

Choices of leisure-time activities for patients, especially those who are cognitively impaired or bedbound

Personal services (eg, hairdressing, makeup), usually paid for by the patient's personal funds

* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): FastStats: Nursing Home Care. Accessed May 2024.

LongTermCare.gov: Costs of Care. Accessed June 2024.

‡ These problems, which commonly develop or worsen among nursing home residents, can sometimes be prevented with attentive care.

§ Special care units must specify programs and admissions criteria, train staff specifically for the unit, meet regulations and reimbursement requirements, and have an identifiable area or discrete physical space.