Assisted Living
Choosing a Nursing Home or Rehab After a Hospital Stay
How to compare skilled nursing, rehab, long-term nursing care, Medicare certification, quality, payment, and discharge goals.
After a hospital stay, families may be asked to choose a skilled nursing facility or rehab quickly. The decision affects recovery, safety, costs, and the next living arrangement. Ask for help early from the hospital discharge planner or social worker.
Clarify the goal
Is the goal short-term rehab and return home, recovery before assisted living, or long-term nursing care? The right facility depends on therapy needs, medical complexity, dementia support, location, insurance, and whether Medicaid may be needed later.
Use Medicare comparison tools
Medicare recommends researching nursing homes, comparing quality, and visiting if possible. Start with Medicare's guide on how to choose a nursing home and use Care Compare for Medicare-certified facilities.
Payment questions
Medicare's page on paying for nursing home care explains that Medicare generally does not cover long-term nursing home care. Ask what is covered, what could become private pay, and whether the facility accepts Medicaid if long-term care becomes necessary.
Facility questions
- How much therapy is provided, and how often?
- What medical needs can the facility manage?
- How are falls, confusion, wounds, infections, and medications handled?
- What is the discharge planning process?
- Can family attend care plan meetings?
Use YouRetire tools
If return home may require paid help, estimate home care costs before discharge. If assisted living may be next, compare community costs and save the reports for family discussion.