September 18, 2021

The difference between assisted living and nursing homes may seem like a matter of semantics. Don't these terms basically mean the same thing? Well... not really. That said, it's true that these terms are 1.) used interchangeably by many folks outside of the healthcare field and 2.) open to slight variation from organization to organization. Nonetheless, a nursing home is definitely not the same as an assisted living facility, so let's take a look at the difference between assisted living and nursing home living.

Do Assisted Living Facilities and Nursing Homes Share Any Common Traits?

They do! There's one major thing that both types of senior care centers should have in common, and that is well-trained care staff. The staff in either facility should be capable of attending to the needs of seniors across a wide range of conditions and levels of independence. When pitting high-quality assisted living versus nursing homes, qualified staff should be a common ground that each facility shares.

No shortage of smiles here!

So What's the Difference Between Assisted Living and Nursing Home Facilities for Seniors?

Is assisted living the same as a nursing home living situation? Not really. Here are a couple of key areas in which they differ.

Care Focus

When it comes to assisted living vs nursing home living, the key difference is found in the focus of the services these organizations provide, according to Paying For Senior Care. Nursing homes are more medically focused, whereas assisted living provides what it's name implies: extra support for a senior's day-to-day.

Real quick: notice we said "care focus" and not "level of care." That's because there are often many medical services available to assisted living residents; it's just not the primary focus. As the PFSC article notes, despite some limitations in medical treatments, "the services and intermittent medical care that are often provided can make assisted living a viable option for more seniors than ever before." The article follows this up by pointing out the fact that an assisted living facility "maximizes quality of life" and is "often preferred over nursing home care when possible."

So, the type of care provided is definitely a key difference between assisted living and nursing homes. Barring certain highly prohibitive medical conditions, seniors may get more out of exploring their assisted living community options vs nursing homes. That said, if an elder has a severe illness or limitation that requires round-the-clock care, a nursing home may be a better fit.

Lifestyle

We go into greater detail about the value of developing a true community of seniors in our summer activity rundown, and there's certainly a lot of fun to be had by trying out any of these highly recommended (and totally unique) senior activities. As an assisted living home, we do the extra stuff like pulling out all the stops for birthday celebrations and holding special ceremonies for our veterans.

Where nursing homes are focused on preserving health and providing a hospice-style environment, assisted living homes like OESH aim to enhance life for residents while offering a reasonable amount of support with access to treatment as needed.

So, what's the difference between nursing home and assisted living situations? In our humble opinion, the key difference between assisted living and nursing home life is the joy. It's the day-to-day smiles you catch walking up and down the halls of an assisted living home. We definitely don't take any of that for granted at OESH. From impromptu silly string fights to our famous (safety-rope-guided) annual slip-n-slide, it's a pleasure living life alongside our seniors and watching them continue to laugh, grow, and live their best lives.

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The OESH Options

The real difference between assisted living vs nursing home life? Silly string.

Now that you understand a bit about the difference between assisted living and nursing homes, does the community approach appeal to you? If so, you might consider exploring the various community-focused assisted care options at OESH:

Independent Living

Assisted Living

Rehabilitation

Healthcare Neighborhoods

Each care option offers slightly different features and benefits from the next! This ensures we can provide a great experience for a wide variety of specific needs and individuals. Within our assisted living section alone, you'll find six different tiers of care available to choose from!

Further Questions About Assisted Living vs Nursing Home Living?

If you have any other questions about the difference between assisted living and nursing home living, please reach out to us! We'd love to chat with you and help in any way we can along your journey to finding great senior care.