• Skilled nursing Requires professional training and certification, and is often prescribed by a physician when a patient needs additional help. Skilled nurses provide medical care and assistance with recovery needs, such as medication, wound care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy. Skilled nursing is often more rehabilitative and may be needed for patients with terminal illnesses, serious memory issues, or who require around-the-clock care. Skilled care is usually covered by Medicare or other private insurance.
• Non-skilled nursing Also known as home care, non-skilled nursing provides everyday care and assistance for patients who don't need critical care. Non-skilled care may include bathing, grooming, housekeeping, errands, walking and wheelchair assistance, medication reminders, fall prevention, and personal safety. Non-skilled care is often more relaxed and may be used for a short period of time for patients who are recovering from an illness or injury, or who are more independent and need little assistance. Non-skilled care is not paid for by Medicare and is instead paid for by the client Listen to this episode while we dive in and differentiate the two!

Hospice is a medically directed, interdisciplinary team-based program of services that focuses on patients nearing the end of life and their family. Hospice is the gold standard method of caring for people at the stage of a life-limiting illness when no further curative or life-prolonging therapy is available or wished to be pursued by a patient or family member. Hospice is not necessarily a place. Hospice is a philosophy of treatment and care designed to improve the comfort of patients and families facing the last chapter of life. It is designed to help patients when further attempts at cure are no longer desired, either because treatment options have been exhausted, or the burdens of continued treatment outweigh any benefit to the patient. The goal of hospice is improved quality of life at the end of life, helping the dying patient live as well as they can until death comes.

According to NCOA research, nearly 95% of adults 60 and older have at least one chronic condition, while nearly 80% have two or more. Older adults are utilizing healthcare at astonishing rates when compared to the rest of the population. Now more than ever people want options...and they're out there. In this episode we dive into what it means to age in place and what options are available to assist in this endeavor.